Ryder
One maddeningly gorgeous cowboy.
One chance at love she swore she’d never take.
Billie Wallace has spent her whole life trying to prove she’s more than the Wallace Ranch’s “wild” only daughter. All she wants is a shot at barrel racing—and a purpose beyond crunching numbers in her daddy’s office. But when her very first run ends in disaster, Billie lands flat on her back with Ryder Rivers—her childhood crush, her brother’s best friend, and the town’s notorious heartbreaker—hovering over her.
In all the years she's known him, Ryder has never entertained Billie's shameless flirting. But after her fall, he's suddenly everywhere—showing up to help her when she’s hurt, staring at her across the honky-tonk when she’s trying to move on with a bronc rider, and encouraging her to explore her dream career.
Before either can really register what’s happening, their partnership sparks into much more than just dust and arguments.
Late nights turn into stolen kisses. Stolen kisses turn into something that feels dangerously like forever. Ryder swears he’s not the staying kind, but the way he looks at Billie like she’s the only woman in the world makes everyone start to wonder if he’s ready to stop running…
RYDER is an interconnected standalone book the Lucky River Ranch Series. Coming April 2026!
Jessica Peterson
In the world of contemporary romance, Jessica Peterson has carved out a space that feels as intimate and genuine as the Southern towns she brings to life on the page. Known for her warm, sensual love stories set in places like Charleston and the Carolina Highlands, Jessica writes the kind of romance that lingers long after the final kiss—full of emotional depth, Southern charm, and characters who feel like old friends.
Her journey to becoming a full-time writer wasn’t a straight line. Born and raised in North Carolina, Jessica once walked a very different path—a career in finance—before realizing her heart belonged to fiction. Fueled by the paperbacks she devoured as a teen (the swoonier, the better), she left behind balance sheets and boardrooms to chase stories instead. And readers are glad she did.
Lucky River Ranch
Tucked away in the wide-open hills of small-town Texas, the Lucky River Ranch series brings together slow-burning desire, second chances, and the kind of emotional intimacy that sneaks up on you like dusk on a summer day. These are stories about love that’s hard-earned—messy, tender, and deeply rooted in a place where family ties run deep and the land remembers everything.
Lucky River Ranch consists of five books and series is set to expand with the upcoming release of one more book. The current recommended reading order for the series is provided below.

