Hero, Unexpected
Gibson Hollow Book 2
I rebuilt my grandmother’s bakery from the ground up. Poured everything I had into making it thrive again—flour, sweat, and a whole lot of tears.
Then she died. And her will blindsided me.
If I’m not married by the time probate closes, I lose the bakery to my mother—the last person who should ever be trusted with it.
Enter Bodie Gibson.
Childhood friend turned enemy. The boy who used to bring me tea and peanut butter sandwiches…
The cop who put my little brother behind bars.
He offers me a way out: a fake marriage that keeps the bakery in my hands and our past buried where it belongs.
It’s just paperwork. A few public appearances. Nothing real.
Except he still looks at me like he sees the girl I used to be.
And when he kisses me it doesn’t feel fake at all.
In a town built on second chances, sometimes the only way forward is to rewrite the ending.
About this Book
This heartwarming small town romance delivers a perfect blend of cozy atmosphere and high-stakes emotion. When a grandmother's will threatens to strip a resilient baker of her legacy, she enters a marriage of convenience with the one man her family has sworn to hate. It is a story about breaking generational curses, the healing power of found family, and a love that blooms from the ashes of a decade-old feud. Readers seeking a safe emotional harbor will find deep satisfaction in this protector romance.
Perfect for fans of Lucy Score, Devney Perry, and Meghan Quinn, this novel balances wit with profound emotional depth. If you loved the community spirit of Lovelight Farms or the protective energy of Things We Never Got Over, this book is your next obsession. The narrative weaves together the charm of a tight-knit southern town with the delicious tension of enemies to lovers who were once childhood best friends.
Featuring a grumpy sunshine dynamic that melts into genuine devotion, this story checks every box. You will find a stoic police chief hero, a fiercely independent heroine, a scene-stealing rescue dog, and forced proximity that leads to only one bed situations. The vibrant backdrop of Gibson Hollow serves as a character in its own right, grounding the romance in a world that feels lived-in and welcoming.
For readers who love: marriage of convenience, protector heroes, small town romance, childhood friends to lovers, feuding families, he falls first, bakery settings, rescue animals, found family tropes, and emotionally satisfying happy endings.