Tag: rebel blue ranch

Book Review: Wild and Wrangled (Rebel Blue Ranch #4) by Lyla Sage

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Lyla Sage
Publisher: Dial Press
Release Date: April 15th, 2025
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She’s the one that got away. He’s the one that never let her go.

From the bestselling author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance in which past lovers get a second chance to rediscover what they lost.

Camille Ashwood had always loved a plan. Her latest was her best yet. She was going to get married so she could secure her daughter’s future, get her overbearing parents off her back, and finally start building her own life in small town Meadowlark, Wyoming. Easy, right?

But when her groom doesn’t show up to the wedding, Cam’s life is turned upside down—she doesn’t even have a place to live. That is, until she finds out the house she’s loved since high school is available to rent. There’s only one problem: the neighbor.

Dusty Tucker has spent nearly all of his adult life running. Running from what, though? More like who: Cam Ashwood. But ever since he returned home last year, the girl who was his first, well, everything has become a woman seemingly determined to keep him at arm’s length. And he was okay with that—at least, that’s what he kept telling himself. She was getting married, after all. But now she’s single and living next door. Dusty wants to show her that they can be friends, and that he can stay put.

Despite her best attempts to stay far away from Dusty Tucker, Cam realizes that being close to him is like slipping on her favorite jeans. Easy. Comfortable. That is until past wounds start to open and feelings—both old and new—wreak havoc. Nearly ten years after they first met, Dusty and Cam begin to wonder if their first love can also be their last. And this time, will it be forever?

I AM BEREFT.

OH how I wanted to love this final book in the Rebel Blue ranch series. And there were many good pieces too it!! But gosh dang it, some things made me throw my phone too.

The good is all about this family. I love this whole ranch, seeing all of my favorite characters, having the hard conversations and the loving ones too. There’s a lot of healing I feel when I read those scenes. And I did like some pieces of the romance too. I can admit to that.

Our dear FMC, Cam drove me up a wall. I felt that the inner monologue about her parent issues and other such things were on a constant loop and made the story feel lacking in the plot. Some of the flashbacks with Dusty were really sweet which made me all the more nervous to find out what caused the initial rupture. AND LO AND BEHOLD. It made me cranky, so very cranky. I think this third act is about as bad as miscommunication (honestly it falls under the umbrella).

Not all I was hoping for, but I still look forward to future Sage books.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3-4 open door
  • Violence: low
  • Content warnings: emotionally manipulative parents

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Lost and Lassoed (Rebel Blue Ranch #3) by Lyla Sage

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 368 pages
Author: Lyla Sage
Publisher: Quercus
Release Date: November 5th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other. From the author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the highly anticipated next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance featuring enemies to lovers and forced proximity.

Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan. She’s never needed one before. She’s always been more of a go with the flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn’t seem to be going her way this time. Her favorite vintage suede jacket has a hole in it, her sewing machine is broken, and her best friend just got engaged. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s starting to change. Teddy’s used to being a leader, but now she feels like she’s getting left behind, wondering if the life she lives in the small town she loves is enough for her anymore.

Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He doesn’t know what’s taking care of his family’s 8,000 acre ranch, or parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter, who is staying with him for the summer. Gus has always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he slips up, and he has to admit that he can’t manage everything on his own. He needs help. His little sister’s best friend, the woman he can’t stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy’s the only option he’s got. Teddy decides to use the summer to try and figure out what she wants out of life. Gus, on the other hand, starts to worry that he’ll never find what he needs. Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether or not to act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned?

Thank you LibroFM for the gifted audiobook.

LOOOOOVED IT.

I am so happy I decided to pick up this series this year because it has my whole heart and soul now. I am obsessed with this whole family and can’t get enough. I loved how the enemies to lovers was executed here. You could FEEL all of the tension and the banter set the perfect edge.

The nanny x single dad trope made my heart burst. I loved all of the little tender moments and watching Teddy and Gus realize just how much love was already there. And even better, it fit into my plot > spice scale (which is totally arbitrary to my own thoughts, but if you know me this might make sense to you).

And the audiobook is top notch. I love dual POV so dang much. This entire series is worth the read.

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3 open door
  • Violence: low

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph

Book Review: Swift and Saddled (Rebel Blue Ranch #2) by Lyla Sage

GoodeyReadsLeave a comment

Rating: ★★★★★
Audience: Contemporary Romance
Length: 320 pages
Author: Lyla Sage
Publisher: Dial Press
Release Date: March 5th, 2024
Image & Other Reviews on: Goodreads

BOOK SUMMARY:

She’s the city girl who refuses to be saddled with a man. He’s the cowboy who wants her anyway.

The last thing Ada Hart needs is a man to take care of her. Not anymore. After failing out of her interior design program and the disaster that was her short-lived marriage, Ada clawed her way up from her rock bottom. Now, the only person she trusts is herself, and that has gotten her further than ever before. She has her own business, and one of the largest ranches in Wyoming just hired her for the most important project of her career.

When Ada arrives in Meadowlark, she finds herself in a dive bar where she can’t seem to shake the eyes of a handsome cowboy. When she leads him to the back of the bar, he leaves her with a kiss that most people can only fantasize about. She almost regrets that she’ll never see him again . . . except it turns out he’s her new boss.

Weston Ryder is a happy guy. Even happier now that the mystery woman from the bar is the interior designer for his dream project on his family’s ranch. He feels like he hit the jackpot. It’s too bad she wants absolutely nothing to do with him outside of work. Ada is convinced the pull she feels toward Wes will go away, but Wes can’t stop thinking about her. Even though walls are coming down around Rebel Blue, Ada’s walls are firmly in place.

Can they make it through this project without giving in? Or will they both put their dreams on the line for a chance at love?

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH.

Okay, I’m officially a fan of this series. The depression rep for Weston made me cry. I felt so scene by that and it deserves a lot of love for that alone. I feel like the overall story had a little more substance that book one and the romance worked well for me.

I adored Ada and Weston. And I am actually smitten with how the third act situation was handled. It came across much more realistic rather than dramatic and loved watching it play out. This is one of the few times I wish I had been physically reading rather than the audiobook (the audio was great!!) because I had so many lines I wanted to highlight.

I’m also very much attached this family now and look forward to the next book in this series!

Overall audience notes:

  • Contemporary Romance
  • Language: moderate
  • Romance: 3+ open door

Instagram || Goodreads || The StoryGraph || TikTok