The Front Runner

Elsie Silver

Book 3 of Gold Rush Ranch

Veterinarian Mira Thorne strikes an unlikely bargain with Stefan Dalca, the brooding, reputation-tarnished owner of a rival horse ranch, agreeing to three fake dates in exchange for his help saving a foal. What starts as a purely transactional arrangement slowly turns into real intimacy as Mira discovers the tender, misunderstood man behind Stefan's cold-shoulder reputation in their small ranching town. Told from both leads' perspectives, it's a slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance wrapped in horse-country charm and banter.