Montana Justice - Josie Jade (Calamitte Jane Pub - July 2025)

Series: Resting Warrior Ranch (Book 11)
 
She ran to save her life.
Now the man she once betrayed is her only hope.
 
Home to both the Resting Warrior Ranch and Pawsitive Connections, Garnet Bend, Montana is a small town full of big heroes. Anyone would want to live there.
 
Anybody but Piper Matthews.
 
She swore she'd never come back after what her father did to the town and what she did to Sheriff Lachlan Calloway. But desperation has a way of rewriting promises. With a baby in her arms and nowhere left to run, Piper returns to the only place that ever felt like home.
 
Lachlan never expected to see Piper again—especially not with a child that has his eyes. The woman who once disappeared without a word is now sleeping under his roof, guarding more secrets than she's willing to share.
 
She says she's done running. But Piper's past is closing in fast—and it's darker, more dangerous, and more tangled up in Lachlan's world than he could ever imagine.
 
In a town built on quiet loyalty and buried lies, the truth is about to break everything wide open.
 
Wow. Another Resting Warrior Ranch book that I couldn't put down once I started reading it. The suspense was intense and Piper and Lachlan's relationship was a rollercoaster of emotions.
 
Piper and her family lived in Garnet Bend for several years until they were run out of town. Her father was a conman and grifter, but law enforcement could never make anything stick. Several years later, Piper escaped her father's control and abuse, passing through Garnet Bend during her quest to avoid him. She encounters Lachlan and feels safe. Sparks flare between them, leading to a magical night together. But fear of her past sent Piper running the next day, taking money and a coat, sneaking out with no word. Lachlan buries his feelings of hurt and betrayal, but can't forget her.
 
A year later, settled into his job as sheriff, Lachlan responds to a shoplifting call, shocked to find Piper at the center of it. But this is a different Piper - terrified, way too thin, and with a baby that looks like him. Though wary, he takes them home with him, determined to get her healthy and protect his son. I enjoyed seeing his tender care of her and watching him take to fatherhood. It isn't long before they feel like a real family. However, Lachlan senses that Piper has secrets that she is unwilling to share, no matter how close they become.
 
I ached for Piper, caught between a rock and a hard place. She has her growing love for Lachlan and the knowledge that her secrets will destroy any good feelings he has for her. Caught in her father's web, Piper has no choice but to bend to his will. The hold he has over her was not what I expected, and Piper's terror is entirely understandable. When the secret comes out, Lachlan's fury knows no bounds, and the results are everything Piper expected. But beneath Lachlan's fury are feelings of hurt and betrayal and the unwilling realization that he still cares for her. Neither knows if they can get past this latest problem and find their way back to each other.
 
Complicating their lives, Lachlan must deal with increasing drug and weapon trafficking in his town. Together with the men of the Resting Warrior Ranch, Lachlan struggles to catch those responsible. Their frustration is palpable when the criminals consistently evade their attempts to stop them. The shocking discovery of how and why hits too close to home for Lachlan's peace of mind, but doesn't dim his determination to put an end to the death and destruction. I loved the teamwork that brought it to a successful end, but not without a terrifying final confrontation.
 
I loved how everything came together at the end. Piper's strength and resilience, along with Lachlan's ultimate understanding of her life, opened the door to their future together. The double epilogue answered some of the hanging questions and hinted at what is in store for the next book.
 
The easy integration of members from the Resting Warrior Ranch and Warrior Security felt natural, thanks to the incredible teamwork they are well known for. There is never any doubt about their support for each other, no matter what the circumstances. I also loved the "family dinner" and Piper's exposure to what a chosen family means.