Single Barrel
He builds the barrels that hold the family fortune; she’s the spark that threatens to burn his sanctuary down.
Matthias Barrett is the "Ghost of Oakhaven." As the Master Cooper for the Ironbarrel Distillery, he speaks to trees more than people, guarding the ancient white oak forest that gives his family's bourbon its legendary flavor. But his grandfather’s will contains a poison pill: the land will be sold to the highest bidder unless Matthias is "settled and stable" by his 35th birthday. With the deadline only three weeks away, he needs a wife on paper to save his sanctuary.
Cleo Adair is running from a Manhattan life that just imploded. Once the "It Girl" of the art scene, a scandal involving her ex-fiancé has turned her into a social pariah. Stranded in the Kentucky backwoods during a storm, she breaks into a workshop for shelter and finds herself face-to-face with a massive, silent craftsman who offers her the ultimate hiding spot: a marriage license and a fortress on the Ridge.
The rules are simple: stay out of his bed, stay out of his way, and leave when the deed is transferred. But as winter sets in and a corporate sabotage plot threatens to poison the forest, the forced proximity of the cabin begins to char their defenses. Matthias finds his solitude feeling more like a cage, and Cleo realizes her unique skills might be the only thing that can save the Barrett legacy—if they don't burn each other down first.
The Blurb
Matthias Barrett is the "Ghost of Oakhaven." As the Master Cooper for the Ironbarrel Distillery, he speaks to trees more than people, guarding the ancient white oak forest that gives his family's bourbon its legendary flavor. But his grandfather’s will contains a poison pill: the land will be sold to the highest bidder unless Matthias is "settled and stable" by his 35th birthday. With the deadline only three weeks away, he needs a wife on paper to save his sanctuary.
Cleo Adair is running from a Manhattan life that just imploded. Once the "It Girl" of the art scene, a scandal involving her ex-fiancé has turned her into a social pariah. Stranded in the Kentucky backwoods during a storm, she breaks into a workshop for shelter and finds herself face-to-face with a massive, silent craftsman who offers her the ultimate hiding spot: a marriage license and a fortress on the Ridge.
The rules are simple: stay out of his bed, stay out of his way, and leave when the deed is transferred. But as winter sets in and a corporate sabotage plot threatens to poison the forest, the forced proximity of the cabin begins to char their defenses. Matthias finds his solitude feeling more like a cage, and Cleo realizes her unique skills might be the only thing that can save the Barrett legacy—if they don't burn each other down first.
"The tension in this book is absolute perfection! Matthias is the ultimate grumpy mountain man, and watching Cleo find her strength in the Kentucky woods was so satisfying. The sensory details about whiskey making made it feel incredibly immersive."— Reviewer