Not Good Enough Hero by Jo Grafford

After a cowboy in a work release program rescues a bubbly romance author from the back of a runaway horse, she makes it her mission to convince him he’s hero material…

Saint Riley is no saint, and he certainly doesn’t believe in happily-ever-afters, but the newest guest at Anderson Ranch is a big believer in stuff like that. In fact, Jana Marlowe can’t stop daydreaming about his bravery. No man has ever before risked his personal safety to protect her. She’s also never seen a man fight an attraction the way he fights theirs.
When he dodges her every attempt to thank him, she jokingly writes him into her next romance book — a separate version, of course, for his eyes alone. It was never supposed to be published, much less bring a ton of trouble rolling into town.

As danger snowballs her way, Saint struggles to overcome his past and become the man she believes he can be.