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Heartstone Ranch #1
West of Forever
From New York Times bestselling author Corinne Michaels comes the first book in the new Heartstone Ranch series.
Tristan Stone is off limits.
It doesn't matter that the grumpy, single dad did nothing wrong. He's a cowboy and his last name means I'm bound by blood to hate him. My family would never be okay with me having feelings for our enemy.
When he stops-in the pouring rain-because I have a flat tire, the last thing I expect is for him to help me.
I do my best to ignore the water sliding off his hat and how he fills out those jeans. My best, however, is not good enough. Each night I close my eyes and dream of a future we can never have. And after he defends me at the bar and we share one magical dance? It only gets worse.
I know I should forget about him, but when I find him alone one night, I offer up a no-strings attached relationship that we both promise to keep secret. Sidelong glances across property lines morph into clandestine meetings under the stars wrapped up in each other's arms.
It doesn't matter that our families will never approve or that he's told me he can never love again, I crave him.
Soon our no feelings agreement is in tatters, and my heart belongs to that broken cowboy. Will he break it or will he defy them all and choose us instead?
"A must-read small-town romance with all the delicious heart Corinne Michaels does to perfection. You don't want to miss this read!" - Catherine Cowles, New York Times Bestselling Author
Corinne Michaels 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
Tristan Stone is off limits.
It doesn't matter that the grumpy, single dad did nothing wrong. He's a cowboy and his last name means I'm bound by blood to hate him. My family would never be okay with me having feelings for our enemy.
When he stops-in the pouring rain-because I have a flat tire, the last thing I expect is for him to help me.
I do my best to ignore the water sliding off his hat and how he fills out those jeans. My best, however, is not good enough. Each night I close my eyes and dream of a future we can never have. And after he defends me at the bar and we share one magical dance? It only gets worse.
I know I should forget about him, but when I find him alone one night, I offer up a no-strings attached relationship that we both promise to keep secret. Sidelong glances across property lines morph into clandestine meetings under the stars wrapped up in each other's arms.
It doesn't matter that our families will never approve or that he's told me he can never love again, I crave him.
Soon our no feelings agreement is in tatters, and my heart belongs to that broken cowboy. Will he break it or will he defy them all and choose us instead?
"A must-read small-town romance with all the delicious heart Corinne Michaels does to perfection. You don't want to miss this read!" - Catherine Cowles, New York Times Bestselling Author
Corinne Michaels 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
Audible Audio
First published June 16, 2026
About the author
Corinne Michaels
76 books15.5k followersCorinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.
Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed—reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.
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Website: http://www.corinnemichaels.com
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Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed—reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.
Connect with her here:
Newsletter: http://corinnemichaels.com/subscribe/
Website: http://www.corinnemichaels.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CorinneMichaels
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/corinnemich...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorCMichaels
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/corinnemicha...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,593 reviews
Did Not Finish
June 8, 2026DNF
I was SO excited for this book. Like genuinely excited. The cover? Gorgeous. The premise? Right up my alley. Small-town romance, grumpy widower rancher, family drama, neighboring properties? Sign me up immediately. Unfortunately, after about 15% of this book, I was sitting there wondering if literally anyone in this town had survived long enough to make it to chapter two.
Because holy shit.
The amount of dead people in this book is actually impressive.
We start with Tristan mourning his wife, Emmy Jo (yes, Emmy Jo. Hold onto that thought because the names only get worse from here). It's been nine years since he lost her. Sad. Tragic. Understandable.
Then almost immediately we're informed that three years ago he almost lost his daughter, Sadie Jo.
Then we find out his family lost his mother six years ago.
Then we learn his sister lost her fiancé two years ago.
And this is all within the first 3 chapters.
At one point I genuinely started wondering if there was some sort of serial killer loose in this town because every time a new character was introduced I was bracing myself for another funeral announcement.
"Oh, here's Bob."
How long before I learn Bob died in a tractor accident? Five pages? Ten?
The emotional impact of tragedy kind of disappears when EVERYONE has one. At some point it stops feeling heartbreaking and starts feeling like I'm reading the town obituary section.
And the way we're told all of this information is somehow even worse.
This book is absolutely addicted to telling instead of showing.
Every time a character appears, we don't get to naturally learn who they are through interactions or dialogue. No, the book practically slams on the brakes so it can hand me their entire Wikipedia page.
A cop shows up? Here's his life story. Here's how he knows Tristan. Here's how he knows Tristan's family. Here's his connection to everyone in a fifty-mile radius.
Like please. Let me discover literally anything on my own.
The dialogue wasn't helping either because it felt so juvenile and corny. Everyone talks like they're performing a Hallmark movie script written by someone who's only ever heard conversations described secondhand.
But my favorite part was Lark.
Lark spends the entire beginning of the book insisting Tristan is a good man despite what her family says.
Aww. How sweet.
Except.
She's ALSO constantly accusing him of being responsible for the vandalism and property damage happening to her family's land.
And when he tells her he's not doing it? She doesn't believe him. So which is it, babe?
Because those two thoughts cannot coexist forever.
You either think he's a fundamentally good guy and therefore believe him when he says he didn't do it.
Or you think he's capable of repeatedly destroying your family's property.
You don't get to stand in the middle going, "No, no, he's a really good person, I just think he's committing ongoing acts of sabotage."
The math is not mathing.
I had absolutely no idea this was a dead-wife romance. Now, dead-spouse tropes can work. I've read them done beautifully. This immediately felt like it wasn't going to be one of those times.
In the very first chapter Tristan is basically like, "After nine years, for the first time, I felt something."
Sir.
What?
First of all, the interaction that supposedly awakened his soul wasn't remotely powerful enough to justify that reaction.
Second of all—and this is the part that broke my brain—he and Lark literally live next to each other.
They've been neighbors.
For years.
They see each other regularly.
And apparently Lark was friends with his wife.
YOU ARE TELLING ME THIS MAN HAS BEEN SEEING THIS WOMAN AROUND FOR YEARS, SHE WAS CLOSE TO HIS WIFE, THEIR LIVES ARE ALREADY INTERTWINED, BUT THIS RANDOM INTERACTION IS THE MOMENT HE FEELS SOMETHING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NINE YEARS?
Okay.
Sure.
Whatever helps us get to chapter two.
And then I made the mistake of reading other reviews.
Which is where I discovered that the mystery of who's actually damaging the property doesn't even get resolved by the end of the book.
Excuse me?
That was literally one of the only things still keeping me remotely interested.
You mean to tell me we're spending all this time accusing people, talking about damaged property, creating enough dead relatives to populate a cemetery expansion project, and we don't even get an answer?
At that point I was done.
Completely done.
I do not care who is destroying the property.
I do not care about the neighboring ranches.
I do not care about the mystery.
I do not care about Emmy Jo, Sadie Jo, future Jo, or any other Jo that may be hiding in later chapters.
This book can keep its damaged fences, its endless family tragedies, its identity crisis of a mystery plot, and its collection of increasingly ridiculous names.
I came here for a romance.
Instead I got a small-town grief convention featuring suspicious property damage and approximately fourteen funerals.
Unfortunately, West of Forever and I were not meant to be.
I was SO excited for this book. Like genuinely excited. The cover? Gorgeous. The premise? Right up my alley. Small-town romance, grumpy widower rancher, family drama, neighboring properties? Sign me up immediately. Unfortunately, after about 15% of this book, I was sitting there wondering if literally anyone in this town had survived long enough to make it to chapter two.
Because holy shit.
The amount of dead people in this book is actually impressive.
We start with Tristan mourning his wife, Emmy Jo (yes, Emmy Jo. Hold onto that thought because the names only get worse from here). It's been nine years since he lost her. Sad. Tragic. Understandable.
Then almost immediately we're informed that three years ago he almost lost his daughter, Sadie Jo.
Then we find out his family lost his mother six years ago.
Then we learn his sister lost her fiancé two years ago.
And this is all within the first 3 chapters.
At one point I genuinely started wondering if there was some sort of serial killer loose in this town because every time a new character was introduced I was bracing myself for another funeral announcement.
"Oh, here's Bob."
How long before I learn Bob died in a tractor accident? Five pages? Ten?
The emotional impact of tragedy kind of disappears when EVERYONE has one. At some point it stops feeling heartbreaking and starts feeling like I'm reading the town obituary section.
And the way we're told all of this information is somehow even worse.
This book is absolutely addicted to telling instead of showing.
Every time a character appears, we don't get to naturally learn who they are through interactions or dialogue. No, the book practically slams on the brakes so it can hand me their entire Wikipedia page.
A cop shows up? Here's his life story. Here's how he knows Tristan. Here's how he knows Tristan's family. Here's his connection to everyone in a fifty-mile radius.
Like please. Let me discover literally anything on my own.
The dialogue wasn't helping either because it felt so juvenile and corny. Everyone talks like they're performing a Hallmark movie script written by someone who's only ever heard conversations described secondhand.
But my favorite part was Lark.
Lark spends the entire beginning of the book insisting Tristan is a good man despite what her family says.
Aww. How sweet.
Except.
She's ALSO constantly accusing him of being responsible for the vandalism and property damage happening to her family's land.
And when he tells her he's not doing it? She doesn't believe him. So which is it, babe?
Because those two thoughts cannot coexist forever.
You either think he's a fundamentally good guy and therefore believe him when he says he didn't do it.
Or you think he's capable of repeatedly destroying your family's property.
You don't get to stand in the middle going, "No, no, he's a really good person, I just think he's committing ongoing acts of sabotage."
The math is not mathing.
I had absolutely no idea this was a dead-wife romance. Now, dead-spouse tropes can work. I've read them done beautifully. This immediately felt like it wasn't going to be one of those times.
In the very first chapter Tristan is basically like, "After nine years, for the first time, I felt something."
Sir.
What?
First of all, the interaction that supposedly awakened his soul wasn't remotely powerful enough to justify that reaction.
Second of all—and this is the part that broke my brain—he and Lark literally live next to each other.
They've been neighbors.
For years.
They see each other regularly.
And apparently Lark was friends with his wife.
YOU ARE TELLING ME THIS MAN HAS BEEN SEEING THIS WOMAN AROUND FOR YEARS, SHE WAS CLOSE TO HIS WIFE, THEIR LIVES ARE ALREADY INTERTWINED, BUT THIS RANDOM INTERACTION IS THE MOMENT HE FEELS SOMETHING FOR THE FIRST TIME IN NINE YEARS?
Okay.
Sure.
Whatever helps us get to chapter two.
And then I made the mistake of reading other reviews.
Which is where I discovered that the mystery of who's actually damaging the property doesn't even get resolved by the end of the book.
Excuse me?
That was literally one of the only things still keeping me remotely interested.
You mean to tell me we're spending all this time accusing people, talking about damaged property, creating enough dead relatives to populate a cemetery expansion project, and we don't even get an answer?
At that point I was done.
Completely done.
I do not care who is destroying the property.
I do not care about the neighboring ranches.
I do not care about the mystery.
I do not care about Emmy Jo, Sadie Jo, future Jo, or any other Jo that may be hiding in later chapters.
This book can keep its damaged fences, its endless family tragedies, its identity crisis of a mystery plot, and its collection of increasingly ridiculous names.
I came here for a romance.
Instead I got a small-town grief convention featuring suspicious property damage and approximately fourteen funerals.
Unfortunately, West of Forever and I were not meant to be.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This audiobook was so bingeable that I ended up listening to it all in one day! This one follows two rival families who are always messing with each other and their farms. One day when Lark is stranded in a storm with a flat tire, Tristan pulls over and helps take her home and make sure she gets back safely. Then begins them not able to stay away from each other, even though they know their families would need approve. Someone is sabotaging Lark's family's ranch, and they are adamant that Tristan is behind everything. But Tristan is busy taking care of his daughter as a single dad and trying to keep his own family's ranch together. I thought they were so cute as they fell for each other and how Tristan was just such a good guy wanting to help Lark out. Then they start sneaking around...
The family drama was fun and I thought this was the perfect start to a new series!
The family drama was fun and I thought this was the perfect start to a new series!
June 14, 2026
I received an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.
💖💖💖Corinne Michaels has absolutely blown me away with this book!
This was an EASY 6 STAR READ!!!!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The banter is hands down some of the best she’s ever written. I literally could not put this book down without being annoyed that real life and adult responsibilities existed 😂
This small town romance delivered everything we love about the genre the town gossip line was working overtime ☎️but the tension and angst had me completely hooked from beginning to end! I was giddy the ENTIRE TIME 👏🏼
Tristan Stone is officially my new book boyfriend, and I refuse to leave Heartstone Ranch.
You 👏🏼 can’t 👏🏼 make 👏🏼 me 👏🏼😂
The second I finished, I was desperate for the next book in this series because I truly didn’t want it to end.
Bravo, Corinne this honestly is your best work yet!
Tropes:
💖Enemies to Lovers
💖Family Rivalry
💖Cowboy/Cowgirl
💖Forbidden
💖Single Dad
💖Small Town
I’ll be back in release day to share my fav quotes 🤭
💖💖💖Corinne Michaels has absolutely blown me away with this book!
This was an EASY 6 STAR READ!!!!!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The banter is hands down some of the best she’s ever written. I literally could not put this book down without being annoyed that real life and adult responsibilities existed 😂
This small town romance delivered everything we love about the genre the town gossip line was working overtime ☎️but the tension and angst had me completely hooked from beginning to end! I was giddy the ENTIRE TIME 👏🏼
Tristan Stone is officially my new book boyfriend, and I refuse to leave Heartstone Ranch.
You 👏🏼 can’t 👏🏼 make 👏🏼 me 👏🏼😂
The second I finished, I was desperate for the next book in this series because I truly didn’t want it to end.
Bravo, Corinne this honestly is your best work yet!
Tropes:
💖Enemies to Lovers
💖Family Rivalry
💖Cowboy/Cowgirl
💖Forbidden
💖Single Dad
💖Small Town
I’ll be back in release day to share my fav quotes 🤭
July 7, 2026
4 stars
There is something about a forbidden romance where the couple are from rival families that I just love. Corinne did an amazing job with this one. I loved Lark and Tristan! I can’t wait to read more from these families. I especially loved Tristan’s dad.
There is something about a forbidden romance where the couple are from rival families that I just love. Corinne did an amazing job with this one. I loved Lark and Tristan! I can’t wait to read more from these families. I especially loved Tristan’s dad.
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Connor Crais & Vanessa Vasquez
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 10h 34m
July 7, 2026
hahaha…haha…ha 😅😅😅 I didn’t get any sleep last night because I could NOT put this down ❤️🔥 top three of the year so far EASILYYYYYY.
perfect in every single way, no notes 🧑🍳💋
~ rivals/enemies to lovers
~ benefits to lovers
~ single dad
~ secret relationship
~ cowboy/small town
~ grumpy x sunshine
~ neighbors
~ fobidden love
perfect in every single way, no notes 🧑🍳💋
~ rivals/enemies to lovers
~ benefits to lovers
~ single dad
~ secret relationship
~ cowboy/small town
~ grumpy x sunshine
~ neighbors
~ fobidden love
July 9, 2026
Well, damn. This had just about every single thing I love in a cowboy romance, and then we’re gonna sprinkle rival families on top? Oh my God, I freaking loved it.
I listened to this on audio, and it was actual perfection. The narrators did such an incredible job. I felt every damn emotion, especially because there’s so much tension and angst throughout this book. They’re sneaking around, it’s forbidden, and their families don’t just dislike each other they actually fucking hate each other. And I’m not talking about some petty little drama. I’m talking about a rivalry that’s been going on for generations. Okay… this shit is serious.
It starts out really playful and fun, and I thought their banter was so freaking cute. They were trying so hard to be mean to each other, but it just kept coming off as flirtatious. There were a few moments that literally had me chuckling. This was such a feel-good read. I loved the slow burn. I loved the whole “we really shouldn’t be doing this” and I genuinely loved both characters.
Tristan had my buy in from the very beginning. He never once came off as the asshole Lark’s family made him out to be. He was making little comments right from the start that had me thinking, oh… that’s gonna be a down bad man. And he sure freaking was.
He’s a widower with a daughter, and I thought that entire storyline was handled so well. Lark also happens to be his deceased wife’s sister’s best friend (I know kind of a mouthful lol), so they’ve known each other for years. Sometimes the dead wife trope isn’t really my thing because it can feel like the FMC is living in someone else’s shadow, but this was done so perfectly. You can tell he has so much love for his wife and that something truly tragic happened to their family, but she never overshadows the story. Lark gets to shine on her own while still being incredibly respectful of his wife’s memory, and the way she builds a relationship with his daughter was filled with so much love and care. I just thought the whole thing was done beautifully. It actually made me pretty damn emotional.
I have to say, I think the emotion completely snuck up on me with this one. I was just over here having a good time, literally giggling and kicking my feet. It’s one of those books that’ll have you swooning so hard, and then suddenly you get smacked in the face with trauma and a whole lot of emotional turmoil toward the end. Honestly, I think that’s exactly what this book needed to tie everything together, especially when it came to bridging the gap between these two families that can’t stand each other.
You’re giving me small-town romance, forbidden love, menacing family members (hehe), town gossip, the dancing trope, and a flirty MMC who does not mind getting on his knees… what the fuck is not to love?
These two had immaculate chemistry, and I was so freaking locked into this audiobook. I was literally cleaning a house that already looked immaculate because I couldn’t stop listening and to me, that’s the sign of a five-star read.
I listened to this on audio, and it was actual perfection. The narrators did such an incredible job. I felt every damn emotion, especially because there’s so much tension and angst throughout this book. They’re sneaking around, it’s forbidden, and their families don’t just dislike each other they actually fucking hate each other. And I’m not talking about some petty little drama. I’m talking about a rivalry that’s been going on for generations. Okay… this shit is serious.
It starts out really playful and fun, and I thought their banter was so freaking cute. They were trying so hard to be mean to each other, but it just kept coming off as flirtatious. There were a few moments that literally had me chuckling. This was such a feel-good read. I loved the slow burn. I loved the whole “we really shouldn’t be doing this” and I genuinely loved both characters.
Tristan had my buy in from the very beginning. He never once came off as the asshole Lark’s family made him out to be. He was making little comments right from the start that had me thinking, oh… that’s gonna be a down bad man. And he sure freaking was.
He’s a widower with a daughter, and I thought that entire storyline was handled so well. Lark also happens to be his deceased wife’s sister’s best friend (I know kind of a mouthful lol), so they’ve known each other for years. Sometimes the dead wife trope isn’t really my thing because it can feel like the FMC is living in someone else’s shadow, but this was done so perfectly. You can tell he has so much love for his wife and that something truly tragic happened to their family, but she never overshadows the story. Lark gets to shine on her own while still being incredibly respectful of his wife’s memory, and the way she builds a relationship with his daughter was filled with so much love and care. I just thought the whole thing was done beautifully. It actually made me pretty damn emotional.
I have to say, I think the emotion completely snuck up on me with this one. I was just over here having a good time, literally giggling and kicking my feet. It’s one of those books that’ll have you swooning so hard, and then suddenly you get smacked in the face with trauma and a whole lot of emotional turmoil toward the end. Honestly, I think that’s exactly what this book needed to tie everything together, especially when it came to bridging the gap between these two families that can’t stand each other.
You’re giving me small-town romance, forbidden love, menacing family members (hehe), town gossip, the dancing trope, and a flirty MMC who does not mind getting on his knees… what the fuck is not to love?
These two had immaculate chemistry, and I was so freaking locked into this audiobook. I was literally cleaning a house that already looked immaculate because I couldn’t stop listening and to me, that’s the sign of a five-star read.
June 28, 2026
favorite Corinne Micheals Book
RATING : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Lark and Tristan are everything. I absolutely loved them. Ans as someone who had been a fan of Corinne for years, I have to say that this is her best book yet.
I don’t change favorite books by and author I love very often, but this one is something special, and my new favorite. I have no words. The audio was also spectacular and really made this story EVEN better than it already was.
✨Small Town
✨Enemies to Lovers
✨Rival Families
✨Single Dad
✨ Grumpy x Sunshine
✨ Secret Relationship
✨ He Falls First
Corinne’s writing is always fantastic, but there was just something about the Chemistry between Lark and Tristan form chalet one. Thats forbiddeness just ramped up the tension and when they feel for each other…. Let me tell you, I fell with them.
They were so good for each other and Lark was so good with Tristan’s daughter as well which made me so happy. I love a good found family.
I cannot wait for more from this series!
RATING : ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Lark and Tristan are everything. I absolutely loved them. Ans as someone who had been a fan of Corinne for years, I have to say that this is her best book yet.
I don’t change favorite books by and author I love very often, but this one is something special, and my new favorite. I have no words. The audio was also spectacular and really made this story EVEN better than it already was.
✨Small Town
✨Enemies to Lovers
✨Rival Families
✨Single Dad
✨ Grumpy x Sunshine
✨ Secret Relationship
✨ He Falls First
Corinne’s writing is always fantastic, but there was just something about the Chemistry between Lark and Tristan form chalet one. Thats forbiddeness just ramped up the tension and when they feel for each other…. Let me tell you, I fell with them.
They were so good for each other and Lark was so good with Tristan’s daughter as well which made me so happy. I love a good found family.
I cannot wait for more from this series!
June 13, 2026
There are books you enjoy and then there are books you become completely obsessed with and West of Forever was absolutely the latter for me. I listened to this audiobook in a single day because I genuinely could not stop finding excuses to hit play. Between the rival families, secret relationship, and undeniable chemistry, this one had me hooked from the very first chapter.
The family feud dynamics added so much tension to the romance. These families truly despise each other, yet Tristan and Lark simply couldn’t force themselves to fall in line and hate one another the way everyone expected. I loved every stolen glance, every secret meeting, and every moment of sneaking around. The forbidden nature of their relationship made every interaction feel even more electric, and the flirty banter was absolute perfection.
And can we talk about the audiobook? Connor Crais and Vanessa Vasquez may be one of the most elite narrator pairings out there. Connor continues to prove why he’s become one of my go to narrators, bringing so much depth and emotion to Tristan’s character. Vanessa was the perfect balance of sweet, witty, and sarcastic, making Lark impossible not to adore. Together they elevated an already fantastic story into an unforgettable listening experience.
This first book in a new series has me completely invested already, and that bonus epilogue? I was absolutely dying. Give me grumpy cowboy single dads, rival families, secret romances, and all the emotional tension any day.
The family feud dynamics added so much tension to the romance. These families truly despise each other, yet Tristan and Lark simply couldn’t force themselves to fall in line and hate one another the way everyone expected. I loved every stolen glance, every secret meeting, and every moment of sneaking around. The forbidden nature of their relationship made every interaction feel even more electric, and the flirty banter was absolute perfection.
And can we talk about the audiobook? Connor Crais and Vanessa Vasquez may be one of the most elite narrator pairings out there. Connor continues to prove why he’s become one of my go to narrators, bringing so much depth and emotion to Tristan’s character. Vanessa was the perfect balance of sweet, witty, and sarcastic, making Lark impossible not to adore. Together they elevated an already fantastic story into an unforgettable listening experience.
This first book in a new series has me completely invested already, and that bonus epilogue? I was absolutely dying. Give me grumpy cowboy single dads, rival families, secret romances, and all the emotional tension any day.
May 3, 2026
3.5 🌟 really sweet small town western romance. Sadie was absolutely one of my favorite characters. There were certain moments where I didn’t like our MMC but then moments I really loved him. Wish we had a little more relationship building and REALLY wish we had a resolution on who is messing with her families farm. Without that part, the story just felt unfinished to me. But still enjoyed the book overall and will absolutely pick up more from this author!
June 19, 2026
4.5⭐️ Tristan Stone and Lark Gatlin are a match made in hell. After all, their families have been feuding for as long as they can remember. Too bad they cannot seem to stay away from one another.
This book is such a vibe and I was there for every single second of it. I found myself immediately smitten with Tristan and Lark; their mutual distaste clearly overshadowed by their insane chemistry.
I loved the push-pull of the rival family dynamic and the introduction of both big, boisterous clans, who I have a sneaking suspicion will be tested once again with the pairing of another pair of siblings (and boy am I ready for that book!) And the added dynamic of Tristan and Sadie’s grief and complicated feelings over their mutual love of Lark gave an added emotional bang to the story.
🎧 The audio was fantastic. Connor Crais is dreamy as Tristan and Vanessa Vasquez was a very fun and feisty Lark, just what I had envisioned going in. I definitely recommend this format if you are an audiobook fanatic like me (though make sure to then get the shelf trophy).
Read if you like:
▪️cowboy romance
▪️single dad
▪️forbidden love
▪️rival families
▪️grumpy x sunshine
▪️small town
Thank you to the author for the gifted copies.
This book is such a vibe and I was there for every single second of it. I found myself immediately smitten with Tristan and Lark; their mutual distaste clearly overshadowed by their insane chemistry.
I loved the push-pull of the rival family dynamic and the introduction of both big, boisterous clans, who I have a sneaking suspicion will be tested once again with the pairing of another pair of siblings (and boy am I ready for that book!) And the added dynamic of Tristan and Sadie’s grief and complicated feelings over their mutual love of Lark gave an added emotional bang to the story.
🎧 The audio was fantastic. Connor Crais is dreamy as Tristan and Vanessa Vasquez was a very fun and feisty Lark, just what I had envisioned going in. I definitely recommend this format if you are an audiobook fanatic like me (though make sure to then get the shelf trophy).
Read if you like:
▪️cowboy romance
▪️single dad
▪️forbidden love
▪️rival families
▪️grumpy x sunshine
▪️small town
Thank you to the author for the gifted copies.
April 29, 2026
As soon as I started I literally couldn’t put it down. Truly beautiful. I loved this book from start to finish. Lark and Tristan had perfect chemistry. Even though they are meant to hate each other and their family rivalry runs deep, the attraction and the tension between them was undeniable.
I think this was the most well rounded story I’ve read from Corinne. It had fun light moments, steamy intense ones, and was really emotional too. This is exactly how you write forbidden romance.
I can’t wait for everyone to experience Heartstone Ranch on June 16th! I’m so excited for what’s to come in the series.
Cowboy x Cowgirl
Single Dad
Rival Families
Sneaking Around
Small Town
I think this was the most well rounded story I’ve read from Corinne. It had fun light moments, steamy intense ones, and was really emotional too. This is exactly how you write forbidden romance.
I can’t wait for everyone to experience Heartstone Ranch on June 16th! I’m so excited for what’s to come in the series.
Cowboy x Cowgirl
Single Dad
Rival Families
Sneaking Around
Small Town
July 14, 2026
This book delivers everything you could ever want from a cowboy romance!
Tristan and Lark’s families have been at odds for as long as they can remember. Each side has issues with the other, and it’s simply understood that they don’t mix. When Tristan sees Lark stranded on the side of the road, what begins as a simple act of kindness quickly develops into a full on entanglement. It was giving country Romeo and Juliet, and I ate it up!
Tristan was the most direct man I’ve read in a long time! He handled all his affairs straight on, and I fully respected that. He was always warring with his wants vs. “the way things are” in regards to Lark’s family. I seriously fell so hard for Tristan! He was sexy and compassionate; he always put Lark first. Also, he was a loving and caring father to his daughter, so literally the whole package.
Lark had the weight of her family’s approval on her back. That’s not a slight weight. I had mad respect that she made her own decisions. Honestly, I adored her. Through the entire book, she showed she was her own person, and that’s something I admire.
The chemistry between Tristan and Lark was off the charts! He gave her five days to decide if she wanted them to be “more.” My God! I would have died… but also, the anticipation! Let’s just say Tristan delivered!
Everything from the third quarter of the book onward was incredible. The challenges that came up were unexpected, and the emotional moments hit hard. I truly loved their story!
Tristan and Lark’s families have been at odds for as long as they can remember. Each side has issues with the other, and it’s simply understood that they don’t mix. When Tristan sees Lark stranded on the side of the road, what begins as a simple act of kindness quickly develops into a full on entanglement. It was giving country Romeo and Juliet, and I ate it up!
Tristan was the most direct man I’ve read in a long time! He handled all his affairs straight on, and I fully respected that. He was always warring with his wants vs. “the way things are” in regards to Lark’s family. I seriously fell so hard for Tristan! He was sexy and compassionate; he always put Lark first. Also, he was a loving and caring father to his daughter, so literally the whole package.
Lark had the weight of her family’s approval on her back. That’s not a slight weight. I had mad respect that she made her own decisions. Honestly, I adored her. Through the entire book, she showed she was her own person, and that’s something I admire.
The chemistry between Tristan and Lark was off the charts! He gave her five days to decide if she wanted them to be “more.” My God! I would have died… but also, the anticipation! Let’s just say Tristan delivered!
Everything from the third quarter of the book onward was incredible. The challenges that came up were unexpected, and the emotional moments hit hard. I truly loved their story!
June 17, 2026
”I fell in love with you on this ridge, beneath the stars as we stared off to the west of a forever that could never be ours.”
After reading this author’s Consolation Duet (Consolation and Conviction), I expected this book to be much darker. In fact, it was a rather lighthearted read.
It’s about the forbidden love between two antagonized neighbors in the small town of Infinity Ridge, Colorado. The feud between the Stones and the Gatlins has lasted for more than a century, and recent events are only adding to the hatred. However, when Lark Gatlin has a flat tire in the pouring rain one night and Tristan Stone comes across, he doesn’t hesitate to help her. It’s the first step toward a secret affair that is condemned from the beginning but too good to give up. And of course, despite best intentions to keep their relationship strictly sexual, they fall in love.
Both main characters are likeable and their banter is awesome. Lark is a gifted horse trainer and a sweet, super nice girl. There’s not much more to say about her, she’s reasonable and perfect in every way. Tristan is a “hot” cowboy with a ranch and “hundreds of horses“, though it’s not quite clear whether he’s a breeder or a horse dealer; probably he’s both. His daily farm life is pretty much in the dark, the author only vaguely mentions “chores“, such as repairing fences, making hay, and delivering horses to buyers. No farmhands or other cowboys are mentioned, only family (Tristan and his daughter, his aging father, and three sisters–all of whom live together on the ranch). Tristan is a widower and a very protective single dad, who doesn’t let his twelve-year-old daughter back on a horseback after a riding accident three years ago. He doesn’t even want her near the horse she had the accident with, and I had a hard time buying that, given his livelihood. The man is a horse man, ffs! He’s broken, says the blurb, but I didn’t feel that. He has just a strong fear of loss and is overprotective after losing his wife and almost his daughter.
Overall, it was a nice read, but a little bit boring with all the sex scenes after they started their affair. And after the inevitable third-act breakup and the following crisis are resolved, the story drags on even more for about another fifty long-winded pages, including two epilogues. I also wish the author had put more effort into the details, such as the everyday farm life mentioned above and, above all, a surveillance camera that, miraculously, only records what serves the plot.
3.5
After reading this author’s Consolation Duet (Consolation and Conviction), I expected this book to be much darker. In fact, it was a rather lighthearted read.
It’s about the forbidden love between two antagonized neighbors in the small town of Infinity Ridge, Colorado. The feud between the Stones and the Gatlins has lasted for more than a century, and recent events are only adding to the hatred. However, when Lark Gatlin has a flat tire in the pouring rain one night and Tristan Stone comes across, he doesn’t hesitate to help her. It’s the first step toward a secret affair that is condemned from the beginning but too good to give up. And of course, despite best intentions to keep their relationship strictly sexual, they fall in love.
Both main characters are likeable and their banter is awesome. Lark is a gifted horse trainer and a sweet, super nice girl. There’s not much more to say about her, she’s reasonable and perfect in every way. Tristan is a “hot” cowboy with a ranch and “hundreds of horses“, though it’s not quite clear whether he’s a breeder or a horse dealer; probably he’s both. His daily farm life is pretty much in the dark, the author only vaguely mentions “chores“, such as repairing fences, making hay, and delivering horses to buyers. No farmhands or other cowboys are mentioned, only family (Tristan and his daughter, his aging father, and three sisters–all of whom live together on the ranch). Tristan is a widower and a very protective single dad, who doesn’t let his twelve-year-old daughter back on a horseback after a riding accident three years ago. He doesn’t even want her near the horse she had the accident with, and I had a hard time buying that, given his livelihood. The man is a horse man, ffs! He’s broken, says the blurb, but I didn’t feel that. He has just a strong fear of loss and is overprotective after losing his wife and almost his daughter.
Overall, it was a nice read, but a little bit boring with all the sex scenes after they started their affair. And after the inevitable third-act breakup and the following crisis are resolved, the story drags on even more for about another fifty long-winded pages, including two epilogues. I also wish the author had put more effort into the details, such as the everyday farm life mentioned above and, above all, a surveillance camera that, miraculously, only records what serves the plot.
3.5
June 7, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ rounded up; 3 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you to Team Corinne Michaels and Corinne Michaels for #gifted ALC 💞
If I’m being completely honest, it was the cover that initially grabbed my attention before I even knew what this book was about. I love it. That being said, this book surpassed my expectations. To me, this book felt different than your run-of-the-mill cowboy romance in the best of ways. Characters in their 30’s, a family rivalry that is multi-layered that truly defines the enemies-to-lovers trope, and side-characters dealing with their own struggles that don’t distract from the main story.
FMC Lark grew on me as the story progressed and I LOVED MMC Tristan. Both of them had good character development that didn’t distract from the romance. No insta-love, I appreciated the slow build of their love for one another (without skimping on the spicier bits 😉 ❤️🔥). The author really created the most protective, ROMANTIC MMC in Tristan, and although he wasn’t perfect and was dealing with his own traumas, I love how he showed up for Lark and went out of his way to protect their relationship- he is definitely top 10 cowboy romance boyfriend FOR SURE. There are some pretty serious topics in this book, but the author did such a good job of navigating life’s heartbreaks and traumas and grief without being heavy-handed or preachy. A very realistic and heart-felt portrayal of overcoming past traumas and not letting them scare you away from opening up your heart and mind to new experiences ❤️🩹
I’m ALL IN on the Heartstone Ranch crew and can’t wait to read the next book in the series 🤠💜💛!
Thank you to Team Corinne Michaels and Corinne Michaels for #gifted ALC 💞
If I’m being completely honest, it was the cover that initially grabbed my attention before I even knew what this book was about. I love it. That being said, this book surpassed my expectations. To me, this book felt different than your run-of-the-mill cowboy romance in the best of ways. Characters in their 30’s, a family rivalry that is multi-layered that truly defines the enemies-to-lovers trope, and side-characters dealing with their own struggles that don’t distract from the main story.
FMC Lark grew on me as the story progressed and I LOVED MMC Tristan. Both of them had good character development that didn’t distract from the romance. No insta-love, I appreciated the slow build of their love for one another (without skimping on the spicier bits 😉 ❤️🔥). The author really created the most protective, ROMANTIC MMC in Tristan, and although he wasn’t perfect and was dealing with his own traumas, I love how he showed up for Lark and went out of his way to protect their relationship- he is definitely top 10 cowboy romance boyfriend FOR SURE. There are some pretty serious topics in this book, but the author did such a good job of navigating life’s heartbreaks and traumas and grief without being heavy-handed or preachy. A very realistic and heart-felt portrayal of overcoming past traumas and not letting them scare you away from opening up your heart and mind to new experiences ❤️🩹
I’m ALL IN on the Heartstone Ranch crew and can’t wait to read the next book in the series 🤠💜💛!
June 16, 2026
✩5
✦What to Expect✦
•Cowboy X Cowgirl
•Rival families
•Enemies to lovers
•Forbidden
•Grumpy x sunshine
•Single dad
•Mutual pining
•Small Town
✦Characters✦
•Lark Gatlin
•Tristan Stone
✦Fav Quotes✦
This is what a cowgirl’s dreams are made of. Sneaking around in the barn with the boy who is forbidden.
“When you’re ready to love me out loud, you know where to find me.”
“I’ll do anything for her.”
“I’m yours?”
“Yes, and I’m yours,”
“Hello, beautiful.” “Hello, cowboy.” “Care to take a ride with me?”
“I love you. Without permission, you stole my heart, and I never want it back. It’s yours, as is my love.”
✦Thoughts✦
My new fav Corinne book!
This book was just so dang good & just an all around a good time!
I loved the characters & loved the story!
Right away these two had me HOOKED! I really enjoyed their banter & loved their connection. Their chemistry 🤤🤤🤤 HAWT
That ending, I was in my feels hard & couldn’t help but get emotional & tear up🥹
I loved meeting both of these families, they are truly rivals & HATE each other!
Clyde had me crackingggggggg up!
Also Sadie was so funny! I loved her relationship with Tristan and the one she formed with Lark.
I am so excited for the rest of this series!
•ARC Read•
✦ Bookish links to follow ✦
Bookstagram • Goodreads • BookBub • Storygraph • Fable
✦What to Expect✦
•Cowboy X Cowgirl
•Rival families
•Enemies to lovers
•Forbidden
•Grumpy x sunshine
•Single dad
•Mutual pining
•Small Town
✦Characters✦
•Lark Gatlin
•Tristan Stone
✦Fav Quotes✦
This is what a cowgirl’s dreams are made of. Sneaking around in the barn with the boy who is forbidden.
“When you’re ready to love me out loud, you know where to find me.”
“I’ll do anything for her.”
“I’m yours?”
“Yes, and I’m yours,”
“Hello, beautiful.” “Hello, cowboy.” “Care to take a ride with me?”
“I love you. Without permission, you stole my heart, and I never want it back. It’s yours, as is my love.”
✦Thoughts✦
My new fav Corinne book!
This book was just so dang good & just an all around a good time!
I loved the characters & loved the story!
Right away these two had me HOOKED! I really enjoyed their banter & loved their connection. Their chemistry 🤤🤤🤤 HAWT
That ending, I was in my feels hard & couldn’t help but get emotional & tear up🥹
I loved meeting both of these families, they are truly rivals & HATE each other!
Clyde had me crackingggggggg up!
Also Sadie was so funny! I loved her relationship with Tristan and the one she formed with Lark.
I am so excited for the rest of this series!
•ARC Read•
✦ Bookish links to follow ✦
Bookstagram • Goodreads • BookBub • Storygraph • Fable
June 27, 2026
This was a cute cowboy romance! I loved the feuding families plot. Lark and Tristan were cute together and the sneaking around was fun! There was also some good emotional aspects to the characters that made the sorry even better. I think Sadie and lark’s relationship was a nice addition to it all too!
May 18, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.25 stars
I am so excited for this new town that we are visiting because I can already tell I’m going to fall in love with every single one of these stories. Corinne Michaels knows how to create a small town that immediately feels like home, and I’m already invested in everyone.
The fact that this romance is between two people whose families are neighbors and rivals? Absolutely everything to me. The sneaking around, the tension, the history between the families… it was so good. I was eating up every single interaction between them.
And Sadie? She completely stole the show for me. The way she added so much heart and softness to the story made me adore this book even more.
There’s also a deeper layer of grief woven throughout the story for both main characters, and I really loved watching them work through those emotions together. It made their connection feel even more meaningful and sweet.
This was such a strong start to a new series, and now I desperately need everyone else’s books immediately.
I am so excited for this new town that we are visiting because I can already tell I’m going to fall in love with every single one of these stories. Corinne Michaels knows how to create a small town that immediately feels like home, and I’m already invested in everyone.
The fact that this romance is between two people whose families are neighbors and rivals? Absolutely everything to me. The sneaking around, the tension, the history between the families… it was so good. I was eating up every single interaction between them.
And Sadie? She completely stole the show for me. The way she added so much heart and softness to the story made me adore this book even more.
There’s also a deeper layer of grief woven throughout the story for both main characters, and I really loved watching them work through those emotions together. It made their connection feel even more meaningful and sweet.
This was such a strong start to a new series, and now I desperately need everyone else’s books immediately.
June 23, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ I listened to an ALC, and really enjoyed the story! It was an easy listen, and the characters felt down to earth and relatable.
The side characters really tied the story together, and Sadie and her grandpa working on the chicken coop was so adorable and endearing. I think this may be the first book I’ve read with a single dad and tween age child, which was fun and attitude heavy.
I love the secret “relationship” trope — so this was really good. But it also felt somewhat childish because they were afraid to tell their families… which I feel like an adult should have the courage to do and then deal with the consequences.
My biggest gripes: the way the FMC talked about how she and the siblings interacted with the mom made her feel childish (like how the Mom would scold them for talking with food in their mouth), and how quickly the L word was thrown around.
The narrators were great, and duet style is always my preferred method!
I really appreciated the epilogue where we learned who was behind the pranks and the why behind it 💕
The side characters really tied the story together, and Sadie and her grandpa working on the chicken coop was so adorable and endearing. I think this may be the first book I’ve read with a single dad and tween age child, which was fun and attitude heavy.
I love the secret “relationship” trope — so this was really good. But it also felt somewhat childish because they were afraid to tell their families… which I feel like an adult should have the courage to do and then deal with the consequences.
My biggest gripes: the way the FMC talked about how she and the siblings interacted with the mom made her feel childish (like how the Mom would scold them for talking with food in their mouth), and how quickly the L word was thrown around.
The narrators were great, and duet style is always my preferred method!
I really appreciated the epilogue where we learned who was behind the pranks and the why behind it 💕
July 17, 2026
My heart is full of joy and love. This book is so beautiful and the characters are really good.
It’s worth reading.
It’s worth reading.
June 17, 2026
This was just ok ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ If Jessica Peterson and Hannah Bailey's writing style is your small town bag, then you'd probably enjoy this one.
Overall, it felt like a lot of throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks, especially with the dialogue and the dynamics within each family, as well as between the rival families. And dare I say that it may have had an overcrowded cast of characters? Does every family need seven brothers and sisters... I think not.
I'd say that my biggest bugbear was that we never really got to the root of the "nemesis" plot line, which made the book feel a bit unfinished, and in my opinion, brings down the tension of enemies to lovers, as well as lowers the stakes in the "will they/won't they" of it all.
And why did they already have each other's numbers?!
Overall, it felt like a lot of throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks, especially with the dialogue and the dynamics within each family, as well as between the rival families. And dare I say that it may have had an overcrowded cast of characters? Does every family need seven brothers and sisters... I think not.
I'd say that my biggest bugbear was that we never really got to the root of the "nemesis" plot line, which made the book feel a bit unfinished, and in my opinion, brings down the tension of enemies to lovers, as well as lowers the stakes in the "will they/won't they" of it all.
And why did they already have each other's numbers?!
June 30, 2026
Well slap my ass and say yeehaw Tristan. Because holy hell. Corinne did it again with bring me a grade a++++ man. Tristan stone is that man.
But yall- LARK?! THATS THE GIRL!
I’m obsessed with this book and forgive me now cause I’ll neverrr stop talking about them.
And let me just say- I CAN NOT WAIT FOR FALLONS BOOK! I love a grieving mc 🤦🏽♀️ call me what ya want.
Read if you love;
Rival families
Cowgirl x Cowboy
Outside sexcapades
Mutual pining
Single dad
Widower
Forbidden
Enemies x lovers
But yall- LARK?! THATS THE GIRL!
I’m obsessed with this book and forgive me now cause I’ll neverrr stop talking about them.
And let me just say- I CAN NOT WAIT FOR FALLONS BOOK! I love a grieving mc 🤦🏽♀️ call me what ya want.
Read if you love;
Rival families
Cowgirl x Cowboy
Outside sexcapades
Mutual pining
Single dad
Widower
Forbidden
Enemies x lovers
June 24, 2026
HANDS DOWN my new fave book by Corinne. I absolutely loved these two & their story so so much. It had some of my all time favorite tropes so I knew from the beginning that this book was going to be a hit for me.
If you like audiobooks, 10/10 recommend this audio! I devoured it! The narrators did SUCH a good job brining this story to life.
Thank you so much to Corinne & her team for the eARC as well 🥰 can’t wait to see what the rest of this new series brings!
- Small Town Romance
- Rival Families
- Enemies to Lovers (w benefits)
- Cowboy x Cowgirl
- Single Dad
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Forbidden
- Mutual Pining
If you like audiobooks, 10/10 recommend this audio! I devoured it! The narrators did SUCH a good job brining this story to life.
Thank you so much to Corinne & her team for the eARC as well 🥰 can’t wait to see what the rest of this new series brings!
- Small Town Romance
- Rival Families
- Enemies to Lovers (w benefits)
- Cowboy x Cowgirl
- Single Dad
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Forbidden
- Mutual Pining
May 18, 2026
Buckle up, Buttercup 🤠 (no spoilers)
Any book that can make me feel deeply is instantly a 5⭐️ read….but when the book makes you tear up multiple times, has you 🥵(tastefully and not overdone), and can make you laugh? Infinite stars!!! And this book right here is exactly that!
Hands down my absolute favorite Corrine Michaels book! ⭐️
This book follows Tristan and Lark…any feelings between them is absolutely forbidden! Their families have feuded for years—think Romeo and Juliet 🥀
Tristan is a single dad to the cutest (and sassiest) little girl. Her love for horses and bougie chicken coops (IYKYK) had me instantly loving her!
Lark has a big heart and is not like the rest of her family! She gets stranded in a rainstorm and a stranger (not so stranger 🤭) helps her…. And the rest just gets better and better!! It’ll have you ready to visit Infinity Ridge ASAP 🌄
🩵Rival Families
🤍Enemies-to-lovers
🩵Cowboy/Cowgirl
🤍Forbidden
🩵Single Dad
🤍Grumpy/Sunshine
“You should be with a man who would swim through a flood to get to you.”
“Lark tastes like sunshine and fresh air”
Thank you Corinne and your team for this amazing ARC opportunity! I am forever grateful 🫶🏼
Any book that can make me feel deeply is instantly a 5⭐️ read….but when the book makes you tear up multiple times, has you 🥵(tastefully and not overdone), and can make you laugh? Infinite stars!!! And this book right here is exactly that!
Hands down my absolute favorite Corrine Michaels book! ⭐️
This book follows Tristan and Lark…any feelings between them is absolutely forbidden! Their families have feuded for years—think Romeo and Juliet 🥀
Tristan is a single dad to the cutest (and sassiest) little girl. Her love for horses and bougie chicken coops (IYKYK) had me instantly loving her!
Lark has a big heart and is not like the rest of her family! She gets stranded in a rainstorm and a stranger (not so stranger 🤭) helps her…. And the rest just gets better and better!! It’ll have you ready to visit Infinity Ridge ASAP 🌄
🩵Rival Families
🤍Enemies-to-lovers
🩵Cowboy/Cowgirl
🤍Forbidden
🩵Single Dad
🤍Grumpy/Sunshine
“You should be with a man who would swim through a flood to get to you.”
“Lark tastes like sunshine and fresh air”
Thank you Corinne and your team for this amazing ARC opportunity! I am forever grateful 🫶🏼
June 26, 2026
5 ⭐️ | 2.5 🌶️
💛 Cowboy romance
💙 Rival families
💛 Small town
💙 Enemies to lovers
💛 Single dad
💙 Grumpy X Sunshine
Goodness gracious did Corinne Michaels absolutely NAIL the rival families aspect here. The tension, sneaking around, familial drama 🤌🏼. Absolute perfection.
🎙️ West of Forever is expertly narrated in duet by Connor Crais and Vanessa Vasquez and the performances were just absolutely perfect. The yearning, the “we shouldn’t but we can’t help it” push and pull, INCREDIBLE banter, and Tristan’s life as a widower single dad. This incredible performance amplified the deep emotion and witty remarks Michaels wrote into this story.
And for my last thank you Corinne Michaels- an angel, made menial chores around the house feel like I was sitting in the stands at a rodeo instead (BYO hay bale though, I suppose 😜).
Thank you to Corinne Michaels & MLA for the ARC & ALC!
💛 Cowboy romance
💙 Rival families
💛 Small town
💙 Enemies to lovers
💛 Single dad
💙 Grumpy X Sunshine
Goodness gracious did Corinne Michaels absolutely NAIL the rival families aspect here. The tension, sneaking around, familial drama 🤌🏼. Absolute perfection.
🎙️ West of Forever is expertly narrated in duet by Connor Crais and Vanessa Vasquez and the performances were just absolutely perfect. The yearning, the “we shouldn’t but we can’t help it” push and pull, INCREDIBLE banter, and Tristan’s life as a widower single dad. This incredible performance amplified the deep emotion and witty remarks Michaels wrote into this story.
And for my last thank you Corinne Michaels- an angel, made menial chores around the house feel like I was sitting in the stands at a rodeo instead (BYO hay bale though, I suppose 😜).
Thank you to Corinne Michaels & MLA for the ARC & ALC!
July 7, 2026
West of Forever by Corinne Michaels 🧺🐎💖✨☁️
See, now I get the Corinne Michaels hype! First book by her, won't be the last, and now I have another cowboy obsession and small town I want to move to. Tristan and Lark's story was full of banter, sweet and spicy moments, and full of vulnerability. I really liked the "mystery" aspect of not knowing who's causing all the damages to the farms and had a pleasant surprise at the end. I also really liked the way Tristan's daughter, Sadie, was written! It wasn't infantilized, and she truly acted her age.
What to expect:
💖 family rivalry
🧺 grumpy sunshine
💖 cowboy & cowgirl
🧺 widowed single dad
💖 small town
🧺 forbidden
💖 sneaking around to get sexed up!
"I fell in love with you on this ridge, beneath the stars as we stared off to the west of a forever that could never be ours."
I can't wait for Never Been Tamed!
Special thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the physical galley!
See, now I get the Corinne Michaels hype! First book by her, won't be the last, and now I have another cowboy obsession and small town I want to move to. Tristan and Lark's story was full of banter, sweet and spicy moments, and full of vulnerability. I really liked the "mystery" aspect of not knowing who's causing all the damages to the farms and had a pleasant surprise at the end. I also really liked the way Tristan's daughter, Sadie, was written! It wasn't infantilized, and she truly acted her age.
What to expect:
💖 family rivalry
🧺 grumpy sunshine
💖 cowboy & cowgirl
🧺 widowed single dad
💖 small town
🧺 forbidden
💖 sneaking around to get sexed up!
"I fell in love with you on this ridge, beneath the stars as we stared off to the west of a forever that could never be ours."
I can't wait for Never Been Tamed!
Special thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the physical galley!
June 18, 2026
Yeah so she calls him ‘ben thrustin’ and he calls her ‘jenna talia’ …. feel like that should be reason enough for a 1 star
May 25, 2026
This might go down as my new favorite cowboy romance 🤭 I absolutely devoured this book from start to finish. I truly didn’t know what to expect since this was my first Corrine Michaels book but this knocked my socks off!
The absolute forbidden tension between the main two characters was off the charts! I felt every ounce of yearning between the characters.
I also felt like Lark was such a relatable FMC and that really made me latch onto her as a character! I loved her so much!
The absolute forbidden tension between the main two characters was off the charts! I felt every ounce of yearning between the characters.
I also felt like Lark was such a relatable FMC and that really made me latch onto her as a character! I loved her so much!
June 20, 2026
thank you Must Love Audio for the ALC, all opinions are my own.
my first Corinne Michaels book & won’t be my last!
I was hooked from the start, I loved the rivalry between the families & the forbidden aspect of their connection.
Lark is an incredibly sweet FMC, which is not always my fav to read but I really appreciated how she grew throughout the story, having the ability to see what she deserved and going for it.
Tristan - this man 😮💨 he has his baggage from losing his wife & his daughter’s accident (he fears for her to ride a horse again), but he’s able to want more for himself and his family, and go after it.
I loved them together, how drawn they were to one another, even when they didn’t want to fall, they didn’t bother trying to fight it for too long 🙃
Looking forward to continuing the series, curious to get to know their siblings more!
🎧 DUET with Connor Crais will get me every time! Vanessa Vasquez was fantastic as Lark as well.
I definitely think the audio enhanced the story even more for me 😍
✦ tropes & more:
💥 enemies to lovers (family rivals)
☀️ grumpy sunshine
🐎 cowboy & cowgirl
❤️🩹 single dad + widow
🏡 neighbours
🚫 forbidden
🌳 small town
💞 dual 1st person pov
🎧 audio + ebook | ⭐️: 4.75 | 🌶️: open door |
📖 West of Forever by Corinne Michaels
📚 book 1 • Heartstone Ranch series
💜: contemporary romance (mf)
🎙 narrated by: Vanessa Vasquez & Connor Crais
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
my first Corinne Michaels book & won’t be my last!
I was hooked from the start, I loved the rivalry between the families & the forbidden aspect of their connection.
Lark is an incredibly sweet FMC, which is not always my fav to read but I really appreciated how she grew throughout the story, having the ability to see what she deserved and going for it.
Tristan - this man 😮💨 he has his baggage from losing his wife & his daughter’s accident (he fears for her to ride a horse again), but he’s able to want more for himself and his family, and go after it.
I loved them together, how drawn they were to one another, even when they didn’t want to fall, they didn’t bother trying to fight it for too long 🙃
Looking forward to continuing the series, curious to get to know their siblings more!
🎧 DUET with Connor Crais will get me every time! Vanessa Vasquez was fantastic as Lark as well.
I definitely think the audio enhanced the story even more for me 😍
✦ tropes & more:
💥 enemies to lovers (family rivals)
☀️ grumpy sunshine
🐎 cowboy & cowgirl
❤️🩹 single dad + widow
🏡 neighbours
🚫 forbidden
🌳 small town
💞 dual 1st person pov
🎧 audio + ebook | ⭐️: 4.75 | 🌶️: open door |
📖 West of Forever by Corinne Michaels
📚 book 1 • Heartstone Ranch series
💜: contemporary romance (mf)
🎙 narrated by: Vanessa Vasquez & Connor Crais
*Connect with Me*
🤍 Instagram 🤍 Blog 🤍
July 5, 2026
I read this in less than 24 hours… some may say I devoured it?✨✨
west of forever won my heart over🤍 new Corrine Michaels fan here to stay!!
this book was hilarious, emotional, and beautifully devastating. I felt so deeply for each of the characters. the relationships and family dynamics were so complex… somehow I understood every character’s perspectives without getting upset at them (which only a really talented author can do)
Tristan, WHAT A MAN! hot damn! nothing I write will do this man justice… just trust & read the book
Lark, absolute queen behavior the entire book! I fell in love with her character. 10/10 fmc <3
the big event had me HYSTERICAL. the love confession was perfection!!! the chicken coop plot was so funny lol… and finding out who caused the pranks? mastermind indeed🤌🏻💞
🩵🐓enemies to lovers
🩵🐓small town
🩵🐓forbidden
🩵🐓tension
🩵🐓yearning
🩵🐓single dad
🩵🐓family rivalry
west of forever won my heart over🤍 new Corrine Michaels fan here to stay!!
this book was hilarious, emotional, and beautifully devastating. I felt so deeply for each of the characters. the relationships and family dynamics were so complex… somehow I understood every character’s perspectives without getting upset at them (which only a really talented author can do)
Tristan, WHAT A MAN! hot damn! nothing I write will do this man justice… just trust & read the book
Lark, absolute queen behavior the entire book! I fell in love with her character. 10/10 fmc <3
the big event had me HYSTERICAL. the love confession was perfection!!! the chicken coop plot was so funny lol… and finding out who caused the pranks? mastermind indeed🤌🏻💞
🩵🐓enemies to lovers
🩵🐓small town
🩵🐓forbidden
🩵🐓tension
🩵🐓yearning
🩵🐓single dad
🩵🐓family rivalry
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,593 reviews