Cotton Creek Books in Order

The Cotton Creek books are small-town romantic comedies set in the Colorado outdoors. Instead of one big family at the center, the series works through the feel of the place itself: mountain roads, cabins, parks, rivers, a dude ranch, and the kind of town where a weekend away can turn into a complete life reset.

Each book brings in a new couple with a classic rom-com setup. In Romancing the Ranger, Reese Hudson accidentally makes a mess of things and ends up rebuilding an outhouse under the watch of park ranger Wade Baker. Hooked on Love sends ambitious reporter Avery Oliver into the wilderness with fishing guide Sully Reed, where fake dating and forced proximity do the rest. Catching the Cowgirl shifts to a dude ranch, where game designer Adam Clark meets Skye Hawkins, a single mom trying to keep her family's business alive.

The setting does a lot of work in this series.

These are stories about city people getting out of their depth, outdoorsy men who are not nearly as unshakable as they seem, and women trying to make practical choices while chemistry keeps getting in the way. The stakes are smaller than in Marts's mystery or rescue-ranch books, but that is part of the charm. The conflicts come from money problems, work goals, past heartbreak, family pressure, and the question of whether someone can truly build a different kind of life.

There is a breezy feel to the whole series, even when the characters are carrying real baggage. Marts likes comic setups, fish-out-of-water moments, and strong attraction, but she also gives her heroines room to want something for themselves besides romance. That keeps the books from feeling too flimsy. The men may be rugged, but the women are not there just to be impressed by mountain scenery and flannel.

If you want western-leaning romance with outdoor adventure, playful setups, and a warm small-town feel, Cotton Creek is a fun place to start.