8 Hidden Gem Cowboy Romances for Fans of Lyla Sage
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If you’ve recently galloped through Lyla Sage’s entire backlist and are now staring longingly at your bookshelf, wondering what to read next, this one’s for you.
Lyla Sage fans know the magic of her writing lies in gruff-but-lovable cowboys, small-town charm, and emotionally satisfying slow-burn romances. Whether she’s giving us a training montage on horseback or a tension-filled dinner with the ranch family, her books always bring heart and heat in equal measure.
So if you’re craving more cowboy romance energy—with a few hidden gems you might’ve missed—these 8 books deliver. Think: forced proximity on the ranch, enemies-to-lovers with a side of saddle soap, and grumpy cowboys who absolutely don’t believe in love… until they do.
Between the Pines by Amber Palmer
Premise: Josie Hayes retreats to her family’s Tennessee cabin to escape her past—only to collide with cowboy Lincoln Carter in a short-lived, unforgettable fling. When he reappears in her life a year later, her new stability is shaken by the man she left behind.
Why You’ll Love It: A second-chance romance with emotional depth, pining, and the ultimate question—what if you stopped running and stayed?
Cash by Jessica Peterson
Premise: A city girl inherits her estranged father’s Texas ranch, but there’s a catch—she has to live on it for a year. Enter Cash Rivers, the grumpy cowboy foreman who wants her gone.
Why You’ll Love It: Combines enemies-to-lovers sparks with small-town tenderness, all under the wide Texas sky.
Tough Love by Alexandra Banks
Premise: Hudson Rawlins wants a quiet life on his Montana ranch. Addy Howard, a traveling vet with trauma of her own, shakes that up when she’s assigned to work with him.
Why You’ll Love It: Grief, guarded hearts, and slow-burning romance come together in this emotionally resonant story.
A Cowboy in the Streets by Elizabeth Bright
Premise: Harper is trying to prove herself as a horse trainer, but her grumpy single-dad boss, Adam Hale, makes it challenging—until their chemistry breaks down every barrier.
Why You’ll Love It: Sweet kid moments, slow trust-building, and a boss/employee dynamic that simmers with tension.
Tame the Heart by Ava Hunter
Premise: After a tense bar encounter, a guarded woman ends up working at Charlie Montgomery’s struggling Montana ranch to pay off a debt—and gets more than she bargained for.
Why You’ll Love It: If you love forced proximity and emotional healing arcs, this one hits all the right notes.
Dust Storm by Maggie Gates
Premise: City PR exec Cassandra is sent to a rural cattle ranch to lay low, but clashes immediately with her rugged host—single dad Christian Griffith. Oh, and she’s wearing an engagement ring.
Why You’ll Love It: Grumpy/sunshine banter with forced cohabitation, slow-burn heat, and single-dad softness.
Smoking Gun by Lainey Lawson
Premise: Presley, a freshly minted doctor, returns home and ends up living with Gage—her brother’s best friend. A friends-with-benefits arrangement turns messy when real feelings get involved.
Why You’ll Love It: If you love complicated-but-hot setups with secret relationships and emotional payoff, this delivers.
Here With Me by Brooke Montgomery
Premise: Ivy’s one-night stand at a rodeo becomes way more complicated when she finds out her mystery man is her ex’s dad and now works at her family’s ranch.
Why You’ll Love It: Age-gap romance meets family drama in a small town full of gossip and longing.
Bourbon Lullaby by Walker Rose
Premise: A woman is sent to work under Myles Foster—her childhood friend turned enemy of her family’s bourbon empire. As secrets unravel, so does everything she thought she knew about him.
Why You’ll Love It: Rival distilleries, deep emotional ties, and a romance built on old wounds and even older truths.
Looking for More Small-Town Romance?
If cowboys aren’t enough and you want more small-town swoon, check out these posts next:
- Best Paranormal Western Books to check out!
- 11 Books Like Flawless by Elsie Silver
- 7 Books Like Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage
Final Thoughts
There’s something special about cowboy romances that feel like a slow ride through wide open spaces—heartfelt, rugged, and real. These under-the-radar reads offer all the emotional tension and small-town magic you love from Lyla Sage’s books, with a few surprise twists along the way.
Which cowboy are you adding to your TBR first? Let me know in the comments!