Dr. E. Ridley Woodhouse is like no physician Ben Madison has ever met—she's a woman. As the newly elected sheriff of Frost Falls, Colorado, Ben is tasked with welcoming Ridley to the community. But while Ben might be tempted by the new doc's charms, getting the town to accept a big-city female doctor is no easy feat. To earn their trust, she'll have to prove herself, and Ben is determined to help her...even if she's the most stubborn woman he's ever met.

Then Ridley is threatened, and Ben's protective instincts kick in. Ridley has come to rely on his steady presence and the delicious tension that simmers just below the surface of their easy friendship—but as much as she trusts his warnings, she's never been one to back down from a challenge, and she refuses to abandon her patient.

But sticking to your guns can earn you trouble in the rough terrain of the Wild West, and danger threatens Ridley from unexpected places, forcing Ben to confront his deepest fear in order to save the woman he loves.

Jo Goodman