Crossroads

Crossroads is a romantic realism fiction novel written by Devney Perry and originally published in 2024. It is part of the Haven River Ranch series, which contains two titles so far. Perry, who has written nine series and three standalone titles, is known for her ability to interweave intense romance with an exploration of complex emotional themes. Crossroads sees protagonist Indya returning to her childhood vacation spot, where she met and fell in love with West. Coming back to the ranch that her father cherished, and where her romance with West unfolded, forces Indya into a period of Personal Growth Through Confrontation With the Past. Her relationship with West and her work in improving the ranch allow her and everyone else on the ranch to experience Renewal Through Second Chances. Along the way, Indya learns The Necessity of Accepting Change in relation to her father’s death.

This guide refers to the 2024 Montlake edition.

Content Warning: The source material and guide feature depictions of illness, death, animal death, addiction, substance use, sexual content, and cursing.

Plot Summary

Protagonist Indya makes her way from Texas to the Crazy Mountain Cattle Resort in Montana, a ranch that she and her family often visited when she was growing up. It was her father’s favorite place, and after his death from cancer, Indya has now bought the ranch, hoping to revive it in his honor. The ranch is also where Indya met the love of her life, West Haven, though for decades, they have seen each other only on rare occasions. When Indya arrives at the ranch, West’s father, Curtis—the ranch’s former owner—lets her know that he hasn’t yet told his sons about the sale. West is confused and in shock. Indya can see that the ranch is in dire need of renewal, and she plans to spend a year fixing it up. Curtis sold it in a state of desperation when he neared bankruptcy and had no option. Indya’s plan is to restore the ranch and sell it back to the Haven family, but she keeps this fact a secret from West. West was also never told that the ranch was being sold, and he becomes angry with his father for keeping the secret, as he always hoped that his father would one day pass the ranch on to him. West tries to tell Indya to sell the ranch back to him, but she refuses. Indya almost immediately starts implementing changes and organizing the ranch, all the while remembering how much she loved and felt attracted to West. She asks West to keep his position as ranch manager, and he agrees. Indya moves into the largest cabin on the land, Beartooth Chalet, which West has secretly been keeping up in case she ever returned.

As a child, Indya came to the ranch for the first time when she was eight. Her father was already sick at the time, and West’s father encouraged him to play with Indya. Indya always felt like she had to act tough around West. West introduced Indya to his horse, Chief. At age nine, Indya and her parents came back, and she and West spent much of their time playing poker and hiding out in West’s makeshift fort in the woods. When Indya was 11, she overheard West’s parents talking about their divorce and knew that West’s family was in trouble. At 13, Indya found out that West had a girlfriend and saw them kissing. The realization hurt, particularly because Indya knew that she would always have to leave again and could not be with West. At 16, Indya kissed West for the first time, and they developed a romantic relationship.

A week into Indya’s stay, she is still dealing with belligerent staff and resistance from Curtis and Jax, West’s younger brother. West knows that Indya can bring the ranch back to life, but he has a hard time admitting it out loud. One afternoon, West goes to Indya’s cabin to talk to her and ends up kissing her instead. Indya kisses him back but then closes the door, not wanting to complicate the situation. West starts to consider the possibility of leaving the ranch, but soon he and Indya have sex, and their bond is reignited. When Indya renames the ranch Haven River Ranch, Curtis and Jax again react with resistance, but West is honored that she chose the name of his family.

At 18, Indya and her family came back, and her father was still sick. His cancer was a major part of their daily existence, and Indya hated always talking about it. Being around West was a welcome distraction, and the two had sex for the first time. When Indya was 23, she returned to the ranch and met Courtney, who claimed that she was dating West.

West starts to appreciate all the positive changes at the ranch, and his relationship with Indya blossoms. They see one another often, and Indya starts to think about moving to Montana permanently. Indya and West also have some important conversations, one of which entails West explaining the reasons for the ranch’s demise. His father made several bad decisions, including his decision to trust Courtney, a woman who worked at the ranch and whom West dated. She scammed the family into buying land they could not afford. When Courtney comes back to the ranch to stir up drama, West refuses to participate in it, instead focusing all his attention on Indya and their possible future together. Indya’s ex-husband, Blaine, comes to the ranch uninvited to rush Indya into signing over her father’s company. She does so, earning enough money to sustain the ranch for years.

Indya tells West that she bought the ranch for him and to save the ranch from being destroyed by Blaine. After selling her father’s company, Indya’s grief over her father’s death resurfaces, and West holds her as she cries in the meadow that was her father’s favorite place. It was also the place where she and her mother released his ashes after he died. Seven years later, the meadow also becomes the place where West and Indya build their lives together. They have a house there and twin sons, with a third child on the way. Indya and West run the ranch together and consider themselves to be living their dream.