She arrives in the rain with a child on her hip and a past she won’t name.

He opens the door — a rancher carved from storms and silence — and something in him snaps into recognition. Not desire. Something older. Deeper. Dangerous.

Their bodies answer first. Heat in the kitchen. A brush of hands that feels like fate, learning their names. She’s a survivor who trusts no one. He’s an alpha who’s spent years locking down his heart with fences and rules.

Then the threats hit. A burned notice on the porch. A slashed blanket. Men in trucks are watching from the ridge. A developer who thinks land and people can be bought.

Pack loyalty stirs. Court papers clash with midnight stalking. Every choice turns into a battle for her child, her safety — and the bond neither of them expected.

He offers shelter without ownership. She gives trust inch by inch. Their kisses become vows neither of them meant to make, and both of them are terrified to lose.

Storms outside. Fire between them. A love that wasn’t chosen — but claimed. Step into the rain, into the danger, into the bond that won’t break.

Titles in the Urban Fated Mates Chronicles series include:  Rugged Rancher’s Fated Mate ~ Billionaire’s Fated Mate (Jan. 15,’26) ~ Cowboy’s Fated Mate (Feb. 28,’26) ~ SEAL’s Fated Mate (March 12, ’26) ~ Firefighter’s Fated Mate (March 26, ’26) ~ Fighter’s Fated Mate (April 12, ’26) ~ Bodyguard’s Fated Mate (April 26, ’26) ~ Veterinarian’s Fated Mate (May 9, ’26) ~ Rockstar’s Fated Mate (May 23, ’26) ~ Pilot’s Fated Mate (June 7, ’26) ~

This story may include language, potential violence, and/or sexual content intended for an adult audience 18+.

Title:  Rugged Rancher’s Fated Mate
Series:  Urban Fated Mates Chronicles #1
Author:  Amelia Wilson
Published:  January 1, 2026
My Rating:  4.5 stars

Rugged Rancher’s Fated Mate begins the Urban Fated Mates Chronicles series with a heartpounding, intense, Paranormal/Shifter Romance that kept me fully engaged from start to the final page.  This is how an author pulls me into a series, needing to know more of the underlying situation, and with a couple that are utterly perfect for each other.  The last thing Ethan expected to see as he gazed out into the storm-drenched yard was a rain-soaked woman walking toward him with a small child in hand.  There was his future, he just didn’t know it yet… or the hard-fought battle before them to keep Nora and Jamie… and his pack safe from those ruthless, vile predators circling the ranch waiting for the right moment to strike.

Ethan and Nora’s story is chock full of danger in many forms, and the threats keep intensifying every passing day, it seems.  Instead of rallying around Nora and young Jamie, the pack is pushing Ethan to send them away as if it’s their fault that trouble has come to the ranch.  No one has a clue yet who is causing trouble or the reason why, but there is no way Ethan is letting this woman and child face what’s after them alone.  And, is the danger for Nora and Jamie… or is it directed at something else?  Until he has answers, Ethan will protect the woman he suspects is his mate and a defenseless child.

What a way to start a series!  The feeling of being threatened grows every day until it becomes an overpowering storm no one can escape.  I loved everything about Rugged Rancher’s Fated Mate.  It’s well-written, passionate, with a couple you cannot help but root for as they find their future together, and full of danger and intrigue.  If you enjoy a romance that will hold you tight in its grasp, bringing you a story that will linger in your mind, then you’re going to love Ethan and Nora’s story.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the author or the author’s team via Booksprout, and I sincerely thank them for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

This title is available at Amazon