Susannah Murphy never expected a stranger’s kindness to change the course of her life. Fresh off the train in Emerald Spring, she’s flustered when a tall, brooding rancher quietly steps in to pay for her supplies. She brushes it off—until she learns he’s Jasper Reed, the reclusive heir to the ranch her father now works for. And without ever speaking to her again… he’s just asked for her hand in marriage.

Jasper Reed has spent years hiding from the world—and from himself. Scarred by a past he won’t discuss and weary of his father’s pressures, he’s resisted every attempt to push him toward marriage. But one glimpse of Susannah—spirited, strong, and full of quiet grace—and he does something reckless. He asks her father for permission to wed her, convinced she might be the one person who could understand the man behind the silence.

Thrust into an engagement Jasper chose and Susannah never expected, they struggle to connect. His silence keeps her at a distance—until his scheming uncle arrives, intent on taking more than just his land. With trust in short supply, love may be their only way forward…

"Forced to Marry a Scarred Rancher" is a historical western romance novel of approximately 60,000 words. No cheating, no cliffhangers, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Tropes: Opposites attract, Forced Marriage, Brooding hero