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Tame the Heart: A Small Town Grumpy Sunshine Romance (Runaway Ranch Book 1) Kindle Edition

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 5,637 ratings

Keeping my heart guarded all my life has never been an issue. Until he saves me in a bar fight.

Charlie Montgomery is one grumpy rancher. Calloused hands, stubborn heart, the definition of a true cowboy.

He dislikes me from the second we meet. Warns me away from his tiny town of Resurrection, Montana. Well, what he doesn’t know is I’m armed with a bucket list and a secret. There’s no way I’m leaving. I’ll just keep my distance.

Only in a small town that distance doesn’t last for long. Because I owe him a favor: Work for him for three months and help him save his home.
Runaway Ranch.

But our close confines mean I see what’s under all that strong. I see the real Charlie Montgomery. The man behind the rugged rancher who yells. Beneath his dark beard hides a rare smile. Beneath his mile-wide chest beats a tender heart. One that slowly starts to beat for me.

And instead of running back onto that open road, I run towards Charlie instead.

But a hidden danger is lurking. Someone who doesn't want Charlie to save his ranch. Someone who is out to get us both. And I could lose more than my heart this summer—I could lose my life…

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From the Publisher

man and woman embracing
wild hearts text
can't be tamed text

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CG4XJ8JC
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ (October 26, 2023)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 26, 2023
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 955 KB
  • Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 476 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 1737474387
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 5,637 ratings

About the author

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Ava Hunter
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Ava Hunter is an Amazon top 50 bestselling author. She writes romance with heart, humor, and heat.

Her bestselling books include Babymoon or Bust, an accidental pregnancy rom-com, and Tame the Heart, a grumpy/sunshine cowboy romance with Yellowstone-vibes.

When she’s not at her computer with a hot cup of coffee, you’ll either find her reading the latest true crime book or traveling with her family. Otherwise, she’ll be behind her desk, plotting out or typing up her next dreamy love story.

Instagram: @authoravahunter

TikTok: @authoravahunter

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
5,637 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers enjoyed the romantic suspense story with its tender heart and gruff exterior. They found the emotional content moving and the pacing fantastic, calling it a great start to a new cowboy series. The characters were described as lovely and standout. They appreciated the beautiful Montana setting and the humor that kept them engaged.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

40 customers mention "Romance"40 positive0 negative

Customers enjoyed the romance in the book. They found it gripping and a perfect blend of grumpy and sunshine. The characters and plot development were also appreciated.

"...I loved the suspense and the introduction to the town of Resurrection...." Read more

"...Elsie Silver vibes, complete with an emotionally-tortured hero, a spicy romance, a group of guys who could all use some love in their lives, and a..." Read more

"...But I can say it is filled with love, laughs, passion, fear and heartbreak. I absolutely LOVED both Ruby and Charlie...." Read more

"I liked the story. But found it difficult to like Ruby’s character after a while. *..." Read more

28 customers mention "Emotional content"28 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotionally engaging. They appreciate the realistic characters' emotions and thoughts. The story includes moments of laughter, passion, fear, and heartbreak. Readers mention that the book tugs at their heartstrings with its happy ending and epilogues.

"...There was a lot of humor in this book and it was coupled with some extreme emotion...." Read more

"...It's definitely got Elsie Silver vibes, complete with an emotionally-tortured hero, a spicy romance, a group of guys who could all use some love in..." Read more

"...At its heart is a heart-wrenching and gripping story of a love so strong, it brought my emotions to a scattered mess...." Read more

"...It was truly amazing in that the characters' emotions and thoughts felt real and had an astounding depth to them, which really brings the story to..." Read more

18 customers mention "Pacing"16 positive2 negative

Customers appreciate the book's pacing. They find it an engaging start to a new cowboy series, with a well-balanced humor and heart. The characters are described as brooding and sunshiney.

"...I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic between Ruby and Charlie. I loved the small town vibes...." Read more

"...But this works exceedingly well as a series starter, and I'm already excited about some of the other potential couples...." Read more

"...⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 A swoony small town romance that involves cowboys, sunshine girls, finding your way through grief, and sabotage...." Read more

"...Ugh, I love this series so much. I'm so invested in all of these characters...." Read more

14 customers mention "Character development"14 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the well-developed characters with wonderful backstories. They appreciate the exciting plotlines, beautiful scenery, and blissful ending. The heroine is described as incredible and the story of two people struggling with their demons is praised as beautiful.

"...Emphasis on the emotional part. Ava weaves a beautiful story of two people, each running from their own demons, who fate brings together in..." Read more

"...Freaking Charlie is one of the sweetest characters ever. The respect that these two have for each other was so sweet...." Read more

"...Ugh, I love this series so much. I'm so invested in all of these characters...." Read more

"...and Ruby had me swept up in their love story and the entirely loveable cast of characters...." Read more

11 customers mention "Beauty"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's setting in Montana. They find it charming, humorous, and angsty at different points. The book has a western feel with cowboys and small towns.

"...It's definitely got Elsie Silver vibes, complete with an emotionally-tortured hero, a spicy romance, a group of guys who could all use some love in..." Read more

"...The hero and heroine stole my heart – their beautiful souls, their strength, fear, pain, hope, dedication, heartache and unconditional love...." Read more

"...I loved the Montana setting and the hurdles the Montgomery brothers had to overcome in order to keep their ranch, and thoroughly enjoyed the bit of..." Read more

"Loved the cliche, and the Montana background with Cowboys and small town vibes...." Read more

10 customers mention "Humor"10 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find it entertaining with its playful characters and strong personalities.

"...There was a lot of humor in this book and it was coupled with some extreme emotion...." Read more

"...But I can say it is filled with love, laughs, passion, fear and heartbreak. I absolutely LOVED both Ruby and Charlie...." Read more

"...This story was all things at different points: charming, humorous, heart-wrenching, and serious...." Read more

"...You will laugh and cry. There is suspense and anger and love. The brothers also add to this story as well as the ranch hands...." Read more

9 customers mention "Spice level"9 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's spice level. They find it provides great suspense and is sweet and swoony.

"...It was raw, rough and gritty just like Charlie and so sweet, spunky and wholesome like Ruby...." Read more

"...this was the perfect combination of romance, suspense, and of course, spice...." Read more

"...It was sweet and hard to read how she wanted to protect Charlie from her health issues, but also I loved reading how much Charlie wanted to overcome..." Read more

"...She was sweet and playful yet also determined and strong. A positive ray of sunshine that was full of goodness. Truly an incredible standout heroine...." Read more

9 customers mention "Sunshine content"9 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's positive tone. They describe Ruby as a sunshine character and praise her good deeds.

"...Ruby Bloom was the perfect sunshiny character...." Read more

"...Ruby is a sunshine girl and all the brothers like what she does for Charlie. A feel good story that I recommend for anyone." Read more

"...A swoony small town romance that involves cowboys, sunshine girls, finding your way through grief, and sabotage...." Read more

"...She was sweet and playful yet also determined and strong. A positive ray of sunshine that was full of goodness. Truly an incredible standout heroine...." Read more

Small Town Romance
5 out of 5 stars
Small Town Romance
This book is everything and I loved it so much!! I read Babymoon or Bust by Ava and I loved that one, so I was so excited to read this book. This book is just so heartbreakingly beautiful and I never wanted it to end. Ruby and Charlie are perfect for each other. They have one of those relationships that you just can't help but want.Ruby has gone through so much in her life and she has dealt with some major health issues. Finally wanting a chance to actually live her life she runs off to a small town in Montana. Where she meets grumpy cowboy Charlie, who has had his heart broken in the most unimaginable way. These two team up to help save his ranch, and along the way start to realize that there may be more to this relationship of theirs.Freaking Charlie is one of the sweetest characters ever. The respect that these two have for each other was so sweet. They both knew that the other had a past and they never once pushed them to share until they were ready. Also Charlie being so protective over Ruby, but doing it in a way that didn't hinder her meant everything to Ruby. They were honestly just the perfect couple and I loved everything about this book.Also there is no third act breakup!!! I was so excited about that. The epilogue was so sweet and I can't wait to read the other brother's stories.What you get:~ Small town romance~ Cowboy~ Grumpy/Sunshine~ Age gap
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on February 15, 2025
    FMC: Ruby Bloom (26)
    MMC: Charlie Montgomery (34)
    Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
    Pages: 433
    Tropes: Grumpy/Sunshine, Cowboy Romance, Summer Fling, Romantic Suspense, Small Town Romance, Chronic Illness Rep
    Setting: Resurrection, Montana

    Thoughts: This was the first book I’ve read by Ava Hunter and it was even better than I thought it would be. I loved the grumpy/sunshine dynamic between Ruby and Charlie. I loved the small town vibes. And Ava did a perfect job writing Charlie and his brothers as gruff cowboys with their big hearts, their lack of tech knowledge, and their fight it out mentality.

    Ruby Bloom was the perfect sunshiny character. I loved her journey to finding herself and breaking out of the bubble her dad and brother had wrapped around her. She was so optimistic and really just wanted to experience life and that is what drew Charlie to her.

    Charlie Montgomery, while being a grumpy cowboy, also just wanted to find peace. He struggled with the demons of his past and the events that led him to Runaway Ranch. I loved that he was so close to his brothers and I loved the dynamic they had together.

    There was a lot of humor in this book and it was coupled with some extreme emotion. I loved the suspense and the introduction to the town of Resurrection. I liked that there was no magical cure for Ruby and the realistic place they ended up. I can’t wait to read more of this town and the brothers on Runaway Ranch.
  • Reviewed in the United States on January 14, 2025
    The sweetest cowboy romance I’ve read in a while! Sometimes you just need to pretend you live on a ranch, ride horses all day and wear Wranglers and this book delivers that perfectly.

    Read this if you’re in the mood for…
    - grumpy/sunshine
    - cowboys on a ranch
    - secrets
    - he falls first
    - found family
    - suspense/sabotage

    The pacing of this book is perfect - it captures your attention and you love the FMC immediately. The dual pov is the perfect way to tell the story and I loved seeing them discover their feelings and give in. In some ways it’s a predictable story but in a comforting, HEA way.

    Here are a few of my favorite things..
    - every time the brothers teased Charlie for being a goner lol
    - the little glimpses at future stories
    - the way flowers are incorporated into the story
    - when he panic makes her dinner and the kitchen is a disaster lol it’s so wholesome

    I really enjoyed this!! I can’t wait to read more of the series.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 8, 2025
    This book had me in a chokehold. Ruby and Charlie were just magical together but there are things that Ruby is keeping from Charlie. She has a health condition that she has not disclosed. I was so upset with her but I understood her reasons for nondisclosure. She just wanted to live her life and I respected that. I loved how Charlie handle the news when I found out. Fantastic story!! Loved it
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 9, 2024
    I wanted to love this book but didn’t. Charlie, grumpy cowboy, was a great character. He felt real and when he fell, he fell hard. I think we were supposed to also love Ruby for being sunshiny and brave. But I couldn’t. She was very selfish, stupid, and deceitful. *mild spoilers: It’s like she wanted to die and took so many unnecessary risks. I understood her desire to live and make the most of everything, but repeatedly lying to everyone got repetitive and tiresome after a while. The book started to drag for me. How many times was there a scene where her heart flutters or even stops and she tells everyone that “shes fine” (cue eye roll). Are we supposed to admire her for her “bravery”? Maybe I did at first but that wore off after the repetition and then I was ready for the book to end. And the mystery with the land developer felt rushed and unsettled at the end. Will it be more resolved in the next book or was that the whole plot line? I’m not moving forward in this series so I guess I’ll never know. Disappointing.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2024
    An angsty cowboy romance, this will tug on your heartstrings for sure. I've been meaning to check out this new-to-me author, and this series starter felt like the perfect place to begin. It's definitely got Elsie Silver vibes, complete with an emotionally-tortured hero, a spicy romance, a group of guys who could all use some love in their lives, and a western setting. I loved the strangers to lovers scenario, the fish out of water situation, and the emotional undertones. Our heroine has a heart condition that makes her wary of forming any lasting connections, while our hero has been commitment-phobic since losing his fiancée years ago. Neither of them have been living life to its fullest, but they form a connection that changes the course of both of their lives. There was a lot of good stuff going on and I would definitely check out more from the series, though I do think the actual romance was underdeveloped for a book of this length. I started feeling the page count somewhere along the way, but this was still a solid 4-star read.

    The story follows Ruby, a woman who is tired of playing it safe. Heart conditions run in her family, so she knows that her health will start deteriorating at any time. She's been careful with her health for a long time, but now Ruby wants to experience life and check some items off her bucket list. When Ruby's travels bring her face-to-face with a grumpy cowboy, she isn't sure what to think. But there's definitely chemistry sparking between Ruby and Charlie, so the two agree to have a summer fling. They both have their reasons for avoiding a romantic entanglement at all costs, but that doesn't mean they can't have some fun in the meantime. Keeping feelings out of the equation is easier said than done, especially once Ruby begins to feel at home in a way she never expected.

    Ruby's heart condition is front and center throughout the book, and the main source of tension. I liked the concept a lot, and it was easy to understand why she wanted to keep things uncomplicated. I do think there was too much focus on her health though, which detracted from the actual relationship development. These two go from fling to more in the blink of an eye, and I would've liked to have seen more of the transition. If I'm reading a book that's almost 500 pages, I fully expect the relationship to be VERY well developed, and I don't think that's the case here. There were also a couple of things that got a side-eye from me (did ** really murder that guy? Would Ruby really have been able to recover from some of those heart situations so quickly?, etc). That's what loses this points from me - it either needed to be shorter or more time needed to be spent on the actual process of falling, rather than on all of the side stuff. But this works exceedingly well as a series starter, and I'm already excited about some of the other potential couples. It's a sexy, angsty read that leaves an impression.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • P.N.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Really enjoyed this story
    Reviewed in Canada on February 21, 2025
    I loved it. The author loves her commas, but I got used to it. I do have to say, Sunflowers aren't perennials (they reseed) and there were some issues with the horse stuff, but meh. Not important. I thought it was engaging and I teresting and very romantic with no lags. Great job by an indie author.
  • Lea
    5.0 out of 5 stars I loved that 😍
    Reviewed in Germany on April 18, 2024
    I loved the Story. It Was delicated and Absolut charming.
    I would absolut recommend this Story. Ruby is like sunshine and a reminder for the Reader to live. Really living and feeling the State of beeing alive. Charlie is the Rock in a Storm sea. But when i opend up, it was so tun to read. I laughed, i Fall in love with both of them und his brothers (😉) and the Ranch. I guess i have a new place i want to travel to! Thanks Ava Hunter.
    If you want something sweet, something you can awe and swoon over - read this!
    Loved the vibe and the feeling this book gave me. Is one of my Highlight of the year. And for the foreigners - the english is good to understand. There are some vocabulries about the Farmer live and the southern accent you need to accustom. But you will be fine. Read this book anyway!!
  • Rebecca
    5.0 out of 5 stars the best grumpy x sunshine book!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 14, 2024
    This book follows Ruby, who has a heart condition that prevents her from living life to the fullest, with an overprotective dad and brother, Ruby wants nothing more than to live. She takes off on a road trip to complete her list of dreams, to feel alive, which leads her to the Runaway Ranch. Charlie, the grumpy cowboy hires Ruby to help with some PR coverage after a viral video puts his ranch at risk. Maybe the ranch isn't the only thing that needs saving...

    This book is the most grumpy x sunshine trope ever. Sparks were flying from the moment they spotted each other, and I was also in love with them both. I absolutely adore how not only Charlie fell for Ruby, but his brothers did as well. They knew their brother needed her – the most perfect side characters. The plot was intriguing, and I did not want to put the book down – I easily could read about these two forever.

    The epilogue had me crying in the dark. I recommend this book SO much and if you've never read a yeehaw romance before, this will make you obsessed with cowboys.

    *Please check the trigger warnings before reading this book*

    Key Points:
    1st Person
    Dual POV
    HEA

    Rating: 5
    Spice: 3

    Tropes:
    grumpy x sunshine
    love after loss
    age gap
    employee x boss
    cowboy
    small town romance
  • Elle
    5.0 out of 5 stars Obsessed with this new series!
    Reviewed in France on November 9, 2023
    Sometimes, from the very first pages, you know the rating is not going lower than 5 stars. This was one of those times. The prologue got me hooked and I only needed a few chapters to literally fall in love with this story.
    Ruby is everything I love in a heroine. Strong, determined, sassy and passionate. And Charlie... My beautiful, possessive Charlie. I love him so much. He’s complex and flawed but you can’t help but love him. So swoon worthy, gentle and sweet once the layers fell away. He is rough but so soft for Ruby.
    Ava Hunter created such memorable characters and heartwarming moments. The development of the story, relationships and characters is top notch.
    If you’re looking for small town, damaged heroes, and strong heroines, Tame The Heart is for you. Ruby and Charlie were a delight to read about from start to finish! The perfect amount of tension, of swoon, of angst, of love.
    The feelings are beautiful, the smut is hot and intense, the storytelling is outstanding, the characters are well rounded and complex, the side characters are amazing.
    Charlie's brothers were absolutely charming and I can't wait to see the boys get their HEA. I can already tell that each of the Montgomery brothers are going to steal my heart.
  • Apoorva Sharma
    5.0 out of 5 stars cowboy romance with a hint of suspense
    Reviewed in India on October 26, 2023
    Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (and even more)
    Spice 🥵🥵🥵

    First of all, this book is one of my top “Cowboy Romance” Reads of all time 👀

    This book is a mix of:

    ✨GrumpyxSunshine
    ✨Opposite Worlds
    ✨She starts working for him
    ✨Suspense
    ✨He is a Damaged Cowboy who yells
    ✨She is the big town girl who yells back
    ✨He falls first and hard
    ✨Bucket List
    ✨She addresses him as Cowboy
    ✨who hurt you

    This book is for the fans of Devney Perry and Elsie Silver and god Ava did a fantastic job with creating the plot as well as sub plot for the other Montgomery siblings making you excited from the get go about the other books that will be written in this series ✨🫶🏼

    Ruby was raised in a conserved manner because of her health condition but now she wants to live, just live and what better way to go to the small town Resurrection, Montana.

    She meets Charlie on her first day there who has this need to protect her but also to make her leave this town.

    Since the Ranch is going through Social media crisis, Charlie gives in to let Ruby help him but is quite apprehensive.

    I loved that no matter how grumpy he was, he melted for the sunshiney Ruby and was there for her.

    The suspense was tied up perfectly and there were no loose ends or major hints to reveal it any sooner than necessary ✨

    I loved how there was no unnecessary drama or miscommunication or anything that would make a reader loose interest ✨✨

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