by Ann Maxwell
First published 1989
Hope Gardener watches her family's Nevada cattle ranch dying under the worst drought in memory. The rugged beauty of her land has always soothed her wounded heart, but now she faces losing everything her family built across generations. Then Rio rides into the Valley of the Sun. This wandering cowboy lives outside modern time, a loner who gentles horses and carries a reputation for finding water where none exists. Hope knows the risks of trusting such a restless spirit, but drought leaves her no choice. Rio has spent his life making other people's dreams come true while following none of his own. Yet something about this remarkable woman tempts him to break his own rules and stay. As they search for water together, these two independent souls must face the truths buried in their guarded hearts and discover whether their shared dream is strong enough to hold them both.
Genres: fiction, romance, contemporary
Vibes: atmospheric, emotional, intimate
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Nevada, Valley of the Sun
Period: 20th-century
256 pages · Paperback · Silhouette Bks.