From Fantasy to Reality

From New York Times–bestselling author Carolyn Brown: She's trying to be normal. He's hiding a fortune. But neither can fake their hearts.

Holly McLean, a passionate geologist and reluctant heiress to a Texas oil empire, isn't looking for love—especially not while she's on vacation. But after a little pressure from her best friend, she dons the alias "Lula Ann Smith" and finds herself at a small-town speed dating event she wants nothing to do with. That is, until she meets Bubba Jones, a rugged cowboy with an easy smile who likes burgers, sunsets . . . and her.

What starts as a game of pretend quickly turns into something achingly real. For the first time, Holly imagines a life lived on her own terms, with a love that feels true. But Bubba has secrets of his own. Behind the fake name, dusty jeans, and charming grin is Miles Chapman, the new owner of the Lazy M Ranch and inheritor of a sprawling fortune. Pretending to be Bubba was supposed to keep his heart safe after years of women chasing him for his money. Instead, it led him straight to the one person who makes him want to tell the truth.

When a startling emergency pulls Holly back into reality, she and Miles will both be left wondering: Can a love built on a lie survive once the masks come off?