Eight years ago, rodeo prodigy Nico Vasquez was forced to leave his hometown of Silverstone Creek under a cloud of whispered accusations and painful rejection. Now a celebrated professional rider, he's returned with reluctance and resentment to help his cousin with a groundbreaking LGBTQ+ rodeo event facing mysterious acts of sabotage.
Sheriff Jax Calloway has spent those same eight years transforming from the silent teenager who let his best friend-and secret love-leave without a fight into a respected lawman determined to slowly change his conservative town from within. When vandalism escalates to dangerous sabotage around the controversial rodeo, duty forces him face-to-face with the man whose absence has haunted him for nearly a decade.
As threats intensify against the "Rainbow Roundup," Nico and Jax find themselves caught between their professional responsibilities and the smoldering embers of a relationship that never truly died. Their reconnection is complicated by deep misunderstandings about the past, small-town politics, and a dangerous adversary whose vendetta runs deeper than either realized.
When disaster strikes during the event, Nico and Jax must set aside their painful history to protect what they've built. But uncovering the truth behind the escalating attacks reveals secrets that have shaped both their lives-and the entire town-for years. With a saboteur growing desperate and the safety of everyone at stake, they'll need to decide if the fence between them should be mended or torn down completely.
Set against the dramatic backdrop of rodeo competition and small-town dynamics, Hearts in the Saddle explores how courage comes in many forms-from spectacular arena rides to quiet acts of principle, from public declarations to private reconciliations. As Nico and Jax navigate the complicated terrain of duty, desire, and community acceptance, they discover that some fences need mending while others should never have been built at all.
This contemporary LGBTQ+ romance combines the rugged authenticity of Western tradition with the tender vulnerability of second-chance love, creating a story as vast as the Western landscape and as intimate as whispered promises under starlight. When professional ambitions, personal wounds, and community transformation collide, Nico and Jax must determine if the passionate connection they once shared can evolve into something even stronger-a love brave enough to break down the barriers between them and transform their world in the process.
