Cedar & Ink
A Second Chance MM Romance
Willowbend Series Book 2 • by Ames Willow
Pairing: MM
Heat: 🌶️🌶️ High
Tropes: Second Chance, Grumpy/Sunshine, Snowed In
He left Willowbend twelve years ago without looking back. Now he’s returned to sell his inheritance—and face the man he left behind.
Julian Thorne had it all: a Cornell law degree, an MBA from Columbia, and a partnership track at one of Boston’s most prestigious firms. Then he threw it all away over principle—and a forest that reminded him too much of home. Now he’s broke, unemployed, and driving through a Vermont blizzard to claim his late aunt’s cabin.
Three days. Sign the papers. Sell the property. Get out before anyone realizes he’s back.
But when his car crashes into a snowbank and the only rescue comes from Caleb Vance—the forest ranger he abandoned twelve years ago—Julian’s carefully constructed walls start to crack. Caleb hasn’t forgotten. Hasn’t forgiven. But he’s not the soft, warm boy Julian remembers. He’s harder now. Sharper.
You’ll love this if you enjoy:
✓ Second chance romance with real stakes
✓ Snowed-in forced proximity
✓ “You left me” angst that earns forgiveness
✓ Cozy Vermont cabin vibes
✓ Grumpy forest ranger × prodigal city boy
Cedar & Ink is a second-chance MM romance featuring a prodigal son, a wounded protector, forced proximity, and a guaranteed happily ever after. Book 2 in the Willowbend Series.
Read Chapter One Free
The Audi’s cabin was a tomb of engineered silence.
Julian Thorne had paid extra for that silence four years ago—triple-paned glass, acoustic dampening, leather seats that absorbed sound like they were designed to swallow screams. Outside, February clawed at the windows with white-knuckled fury, but inside, Vivaldi’s Winter played through speakers that cost more than most people’s monthly rent.
Everything was under control.
More from the Willowbend Series
Cozy MM romance in small-town Vermont. Each book can be read as a standalone.
Maple & Moth
Willowbend Book 1
Grumpy/Sunshine • Forced Proximity
🌶️🌶️
More Willowbend books coming soon!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cedar & Ink spicy?
Yes! Cedar & Ink has explicit content with a heat level of 🌶️🌶️ (High Heat). The second-chance tension builds through their forced proximity before leading to steamy reunion scenes.
Do I need to read Maple & Moth first?
No! Each book in the Willowbend series is a complete standalone with its own couple and HEA. You’ll recognize the town and some characters if you’ve read Book 1, but it’s not required. That said, both books are cozy comfort reads, so why not enjoy them both?
What’s a second-chance romance?
Second-chance romance features characters who had a previous relationship or connection that ended, and are now getting another opportunity at love. In Cedar & Ink, Julian and Caleb have twelve years of history—and hurt—between them. The angst is real, but so is the payoff.
Is there bonus content available?
Yes! There’s an exclusive bonus scene available for readers. Check the back of the book for the link to access extra content featuring Julian and Caleb.
Never Miss a Release
Get new release alerts, exclusive bonus content, and reader-only giveaways.