A deeply emotional reverse age gap romance featuring a horse whisperer finding his place, forbidden attraction, unexpected pregnancy, and the courage to stand tall against family expectations.

Tyler Thompson has always been the baby brother—the afterthought, the one who needs protecting. At twenty-five, he’s spent his life being underestimated by his older brothers and haunted by the mother who died bringing him into the world. But Tyler has a gift that none of his brothers possess—a natural ability to gentle even the wildest horses that no one else can touch.

When Carolina Hughes, a thirty-two-year-old Spanish teacher and recent divorcée, inherits her aunt’s struggling horse ranch, she never expects to find herself drawn to the youngest Thompson. Seven years her junior and his oldest brother Jake’s ex-wife’s best friend—she should be completely off-limits. But something about Tyler calls to her wounded spirit, and his quiet confidence makes her feel seen in ways her ex-husband never bothered to try.

As they work together to save her inherited ranch, an undeniable attraction ignites between them. But when Jake discovers their secret relationship, Tyler faces an impossible choice: the family who’s always defined him or the woman who finally sees him for who he really is.

With the entire town taking sides and Carolina’s teaching position threatened by small-town gossip, their age gap is the least of their problems. And when an unexpected pregnancy raises the stakes, Tyler must finally decide—is he still the baby brother who needs protecting, or a man ready to fight for the family he’s creating?

THE YOUNGEST RANCHER is book 5 in the Thompson Valley Ranch series, an emotional saga of five brothers finding healing and love in small-town Texas. While each book delivers a complete romance with a guaranteed HEA, the brothers’ interconnected stories create a richer experience when read in order. This heart-wrenching contemporary romance features a younger hero fighting for respect, an older heroine scared to trust again, and the healing power of being truly seen when two souls connect despite the odds against them.