ruby ashford, author

SMALL-TOWN CLEAN ROMANCE | PARANORMAL WOMEN’S FICTION

Ruby Ashford is my pen name for the small-town, later-in-life, clean romance novels I love writing — the kinds of stories filled with second chances, soulful connections, and characters who have truly lived.

Ruby deserved a love story of her own, so the backstory I created for her is this:

She was born and raised in a tiny village in England, but after falling in love with a charming cowboy from southern Alberta, she now writes heartfelt stories about love, healing, and belonging — often from her porch, with the Rocky Mountains in the distance and a cup of tea (and sometimes her man) by her side.

These novels are full of hope, warmth, and emotional depth — and while the characters and settings are imaginary, the themes are always real: resilience, growth, and the kind of love that only shows up when we’re finally ready to receive it.

WILLOW VALLEY SERIES

Set in the charming fictional town of Ennington in the equally fictional Willow Valley, these small-town romances feature women over 40 who are navigating new chapters, finding healing in surprising places, and rediscovering love when they least expect it.

A Promise Kept

She can’t wait to leave. He did his best to hide. Will these two hearts remain tied to the past, or will they unravel its secrets and find lasting love?
Anna Fairbanks is desperate for a fresh start. After her husband’s death revealed a mountain of debt, Anna is left with no choice but to sell her beloved bookstore. But when she runs into her first love decades after her father destroyed him, the weight of her guilt threatens to swallow her.
James Bennett's secret is gnawing at his guts. So when he sees Anna thirty years after being run out of town, he’s caught between a desperate need to spill the truth—and to be sure she never learns it. But as his heart aches to pursue those old feelings, he fears the truth will make her hate him all over again.
For Anna, falling in love with James would be easy, but believing she deserves him—impossible.
James has never stopped loving her but he fears that in trying to protect her, it will destroy any chance they have for happiness.
"A Promise Kept" is the captivating introductory standalone novelette in the Willow Valley Later-in-Life, Small-Town Clean Romance series.
If you like **later-in-life romance, buried secrets, and tender second chances**, then you’ll love **Ruby Ashford’s engaging** tale.

When Love Heals

She’s afraid to let anyone in. He’s going back to Nepal—for good. Will these two hearts risk everything for love, or lose their chance at happiness?
Dr. Ivy Rutherford is trapped. After years of work, her soul-driven project is in jeopardy when she must go against everything she believes—or lose her funding. So in a meeting about a solution, she’s horrified that she has to accept help from the obnoxious hippie she can’t stand—or watch her dream die.
Noah Remington dreaded coming back. After 30 years away, he intends a speedy escape, but when Fate insists he helps Ivy, one encounter with her green eyes drops a bomb in the middle of his plans. Now, his unwavering commitment to help an impoverished community is threatened, and the weight of it is crushing.
When Ivy finds herself falling for the charismatic yogi, she chokes back her feelings, knowing he’s soon leaving, never to return.
Meanwhile, Noah can’t get her out of his head, but with nothing to offer but his heart, he assumes her distance is a rejection he can’t afford to ignore.
“When Love Heals" is the compelling first standalone book in the Willow Valley later-in-life, small town clean romance series.
If you like opposites-attract love stories, flawed characters you'll root for, and emotional healing journeys, then you'll love Ruby Ashford's heartfelt story.

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Coming Soon:

WILLOW VALLEY PARANORMAL SERIES

This upcoming spin-off series blends paranormal elements with deep emotional transformation, laughter, heart, a spark of romance, and midlife power. You’ll meet women over 40 who are going through massive life changes — and discovering magical abilities they never imagined. There’s humour, heartache, friendship, and the kind of magic that shows up when everything else falls apart.

Want to find out when it launches? Keep an eye on this page — a magical novella is on the way, and you’ll soon be able to grab it right here when it’s ready!