~~Featured in Wattpad's@CommunityTeams Short Story reading list~~ Have you ever heard the tale of the girl hidden in the woods? No? Well, I'm here to fix that. Katherine Steadworth, the name would ring a bell and immediately instill fear into the heart of the little village she inhabited. Known for her great power, parents warned their children to stay far from the little girl. Scared for their little girl's safety, her parents hid her in a cottage in the woods where her 'curse' would be safe from the people. If she was dead or living, no one cared and no one bothered to, for they were finally free from her. Alexander Fredtort, a curious young man with overbearing parents, meets a shy young woman who piques his interest. The problem? She is Katherine Steadworth, the cursed woman. Will their blooming love survive or will it wither and die like the rest of the dead beings subjected to the cursed woman's touch? Cover by @MoranaGlinka

A fish-out-of-water story about a New York City chef who inherits a ranch, discovers a family he never knew, and finds unexpected love with a fiercely loyal woman. For fans of western romance superstars like Lyla Sage and Elise Silver. New York City chef Jake West had it all, but a few strokes of a pen meant no more marriage. No more restaurant. No more big city lifestyle. Then he receives a call explaining that his long-estranged father, Brett, has died, and he needs to return to the Canadian ranch he left as a child. Jake expects to go, sign more papers, and return to the city and rebuild his future. Instead Jake learns that Brett's left the ranch to him-and only him. Things might have been hot in his restaurant's kitchen, but that's nothing compared to what he faces now: a family he didn't know existed, and a property he doesn't want. Tanner and Brady, his half-brothers, don't want him around. And while his stepmother, Peony, welcomes him, there's Liz, Peony's daughter. She's not a West, but her loyalties lie with the family, not an outsider. However, as Jake settles into the rhythms of the ranch, he wonders if he's finally found something that's been missing in his life-especially as he and Liz grow closer. At first, it's just attraction, but when a sudden kiss ignites a heat in both of them, they can't ignore this raging inferno. Maybe Brett West knew what he was doing when he summoned his eldest son back home-and gave him a chance to change his life forever. This is Book 1 of the West Line Ranch Series. Book 2 - Western Connection and Book 3 - Western Flame, are currently available to read on Wattpad In bookstores January 20th, 2026! Pre-order here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/790665/western-heat-by-caroline-richardson/9781998341375/ Watty's Shortlist - 2021 Cover designed by Nora Inla