The Protected Hearts Secret

Pine Ridge Hearts Series - Book Four

He's sworn to protect everyone but himself.
She's spent five years protecting him from the shadows.
Now the truth will either save them—or destroy everything they've built.

Sheriff Tom Martinez is the backbone of Pine Ridge, Wyoming—steady, respected, and quietly unraveling. A decorated Marine slowly going blind, Tom is determined to keep his badge, his town, and the fragile family he's raising… even if it means hiding just how much he's already lost.

When FBI Special Agent Sofia Reyes arrives to evaluate his department, Tom sees federal interference. What he doesn’t know is who she really is: the widow of the man who died saving his life—or that she’s been quietly funding his medical care for five years, loving him from a distance she swore she’d never cross.

When a human-trafficking ring threatens Pine Ridge, Tom and Sofia are forced into a partnership that breaks every rule she set for herself—and exposes every vulnerability he’s tried to hide. As secrets surface and danger closes in, Tom must decide whether strength means standing alone… or trusting someone who sees him completely.

And Sofia must finally confront the truth she’s been running from: that love from a distance isn’t love at all.

Set against the wide-open skies of Wyoming, The Protected Heart’s Secret is a deeply emotional, clean small-town romance about courage after loss, found family, and the quiet power of choosing to be seen.

Perfect for readers who love wounded military heroes, heartfelt romance, and love stories where being seen is the bravest choice of all.