He's running from his past. She's reclaiming her future. A November snowstorm forces them together-and neither will ever be the same. Dr. Liam Westbrook has perfected the art of not staying. As a traveling veterinarian serving rural Alberta, he moves from town to town, client to client, never letting anyone get too close. Three years after losing his wife, running is the only thing that keeps the grief at bay.
Until his truck breaks down at Happy Trails Animal Sanctuary.
Sage Harding bought two hundred acres of abandoned strip mine for a dollar and a dream: to create a haven for Hollywood North's forgotten animal stars. From Tigger, an aging tiger who once graced the silver screen, to a foul-mouthed Cockney parrot who rides around on a billy goat, her rescue is equal parts sanctuary and circus.
The town calls her "The Goat" thanks to her thriving brush-clearing business, but Sage prefers to think of herself as a woman who saves things others have given up on.
Including, apparently, emotionally unavailable veterinarians.
When a series of snowstorms traps Liam at the sanctuary, Sage puts him to work. He'll earn his keep, help with the animals, and absolutely, positively not fall for the sunshine woman who's terraforming poisoned earth into paradise. Except the longer he stays, the more he realizes he's not the only one who needs healing.
As an emergency animal rescue forces them to work even closer together-and brings Liam's estranged partner into the mix-both must decide: Will they risk their carefully guarded hearts for a chance at the love they never expected?
Perfect for readers who love small-town charm, forced proximity, wounded heroes, and animal rescue romances with heart. A sweet, slow-burn romance about second chances, found family, and discovering that home isn't a place-it's the person brave enough to heal alongside you.
