⬥ The Cowboys of Wild Creek · Book 3 of 4 ⬥
Rescued Hearts
She came back to Wild Creek to escape. He's the lawyer who helps her fight back. But can she trust him with her heart?
A domestic abuse recovery romance about a single mother starting over, the protective lawyer who refuses to let her face it alone, and the slow, careful work of learning to trust again.
⬥ Book Overview ⬥
About Rescued Hearts
After eight years away, Tess Hayes returns to Wild Creek with her son Luke and one desperate goal: escape the man who's been controlling her life. Jeremy's abuse—emotional, threatening, relentless—has left her broken and terrified. She needs help, and she needs it fast.
Enter Levi Hollis, a lawyer with woodsy green eyes and a calm demeanor that settles her frayed nerves. When Tess calls his personal number (given to her by mutual friends), she expects judgment. Instead, she finds understanding. Levi listens without pushing, offers help without conditions, and promises to fight for her custody of Luke and a restraining order against Jeremy.
But as Levi helps Tess rebuild her life, something unexpected happens. The protective lawyer who's supposed to be her legal shield becomes so much more. For the first time in years, Tess feels safe. Truly safe. And that terrifies her almost as much as Jeremy ever did.
Can Tess learn to trust again—not just in Levi, but in herself? And can Levi convince her that some men are worth the risk, worth the vulnerability, worth opening her heart to?
⬥ Read the First Chapter ⬥
Chapter One · Tess
Three Weeks Later
The phone shook in my hand like it was alive. Alive with the hate and vitriol that Jeremy was flooding my inbox with every day for the last three weeks since I'd been back in Wild Creek.
"I can't keep living like this," I murmured, leaning against the kitchen counter, rubbing my temples. More importantly, I couldn't have Luke living like this anymore.
Before I could talk myself out of it for the tenth time, I pulled up the number Colt McLeod sent me after Mama's funeral and clicked on it. I nearly jumped out of my skin when a raspy, groggy voice answered.
Then a calm, steady voice on the other end of the line offers her something she hasn't felt in years—help without conditions, and a man who refuses to let her face Jeremy alone…
⬥ Themes ⬥
What lives inside
- ⬥Domestic abuse recovery and healing
- ⬥Learning to trust again
- ⬥Protective love and safety
- ⬥Single motherhood and protecting children
- ⬥Legal justice and fighting back
- ⬥Second chances and new beginnings
⬥ The Details ⬥
Before you start
- Setting
- Wild Creek, Texas
- Heat Level
- 🔥🔥🔥 Spicy — emotionally intense as well as steamy. The heat level reflects both the weight of the abuse-recovery storyline and the passionate connection between Tess and Levi.
- Content Warnings
- Domestic abuse (emotional and threatening), abusive ex-partner behavior, threatening messages and harassment, anxiety and trauma responses, child safety concerns, legal/custody battles
- Length
- ~70,000 words · 262 pages · Published September 5, 2025
- Formats
- Kindle · Kindle Unlimited
⬥ Why Readers Love It ⬥
4.6 / 5 · 229 reviews
“Rescued Hearts is such an important book. Tess's journey from abuse to healing is handled with such care and respect. Levi is the perfect protective hero—he's strong but never overbearing. Their relationship felt earned and beautiful.”
“I loved how this book tackled domestic abuse recovery without being preachy. Tess feels real—her trauma, her fears, her slow journey to trusting Levi. And Levi is such a swoon-worthy hero. The legal aspects of the story were also really interesting.”
“This is my favorite book in the Wild Creek series. It's emotional, it's important, and it's absolutely beautiful. Nicola Hayes handled such a serious topic with grace and created a love story that feels genuine and earned.”
⬥ Where to Read ⬥
Get Your Copy
Ready to walk Tess's road from fear to safety?
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