Age Is Just a Lumber
A Steamy Small Town Reverse Age Gap Romance
Cutter’s Hollow Book 1 • by Isla Wilde
Pairing: MF
Heat: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ Scorching
Tropes: Reverse Age Gap, Boss/Employee, Grumpy/Sunshine, Small Town, Blue Collar
I hired him to do the heavy lifting. I didn’t expect him to carry away my heart.
Val Stone has two rules: keep Stone & Sons Lumber profitable, and never let them see you sweat. At forty-four, she’s the designated “Ice Queen” of Cutter’s Hollow—divorced, debt-ridden, and holding her family legacy together with duct tape and caffeine. The last thing she needs is a distraction.
Enter Rhett Callahan.
He’s twenty-eight, covered in tattoos, and has a smile that could melt the polar ice caps. He’s also a drifter with a broken-down truck and exactly the kind of “golden retriever” energy Val finds exhausting.
She hires him out of desperation. She tries to keep it professional.
But Rhett isn’t just good with his hands—he’s observant. He sees the woman beneath the boss, and he’s determined to break down her walls. When a summer storm traps them together overnight, the professional line isn’t just blurred—it’s obliterated.
You’ll love this if you enjoy:
✓ Older woman who’s forgotten how to want things for herself
✓ Younger man who sees exactly who she is
✓ Small town gossip and nosy neighbors
✓ “She’s my boss and I don’t care who knows”
✓ Forced proximity during a summer storm
✓ The moment the Ice Queen finally melts
Age Is Just a Lumber is a high-heat, reverse age gap romantic comedy featuring a grumpy older heroine, a sunny younger hero, and a guaranteed HEA.
Read Chapter One Free
VAL
The phone was ringing, the forklift was dying, and Valerie Stone had exactly forty-seven dollars in the business account until the Hendricks payment cleared.
If it cleared.
She pressed the phone between her ear and shoulder, scribbling on her clipboard while simultaneously waving off Tommy, who was asking about his break with the desperate eyes of a twenty-two-year-old who’d discovered that manual labor was, in fact, labor.
“Mr. Hendricks, I understand the delivery was a day late, but the order was correct and the quality—” She closed her eyes. “Yes, sir. I hear you. But if you look at the invoice—”
The line clicked dead.
Val stared at the phone for a full three seconds, then set it down on her desk with the careful precision of someone who was either very calm or very close to throwing it through the window.
She was not calm.
More from Isla Wilde
Love strong heroines finding unexpected love? Explore more from Isla Wilde.
Good Bones
MF • Second Chance • Fixer Upper
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Strictly Forbidden
MF • Dad’s Best Friend • Age Gap
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Age Is Just a Lumber spicy?
Yes! Heat level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ (Scorching). The tension builds through their boss/employee dynamic and forced proximity before exploding into explicit scenes. Rhett is patient, but when Val finally lets go, things get very hot in the workshop.
What’s the age gap?
Sixteen years. Val is 44, Rhett is 28. This is a reverse age gap romance (older woman/younger man), and the age difference is addressed openly—including the small-town gossip it generates.
Is this part of a series?
Yes! Age Is Just a Lumber is Book 1 in the Cutter’s Hollow series. Each book follows a different couple in this small Tennessee town, but you’ll see familiar faces throughout.
Is there a happily ever after?
Always. Every Fractal Enigma book ends with a guaranteed HEA. Val gets her second spring, and Rhett finally finds a place worth staying for.
Never Miss a Release
Get new release alerts, exclusive bonus content, and reader-only giveaways.