Lost and Lassoed

Synopsis: {via Goodreads}

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?

Swift and Saddled

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?

Review

I loved this book so much! Wes and Ada are perfect and the interplay between them is everything. I enjoyed the first book in this series, but this one has been my favorite so far. And as with the all the covers in this series, I love this cover. So nostalgic and comic book-esque in an old western kind of way. If you enjoy gooey romances with a strong happily ever after, this book is probably for you! 

🐎 Cowboys x City Girl

💖 Golden Retriever

🏡 Small Town Romance

💚 Found family

💛 Depression rep

👥 Forced Proximity

🌹He Falls First

The characters in this book are so much fun. Wes is perfect, he's so gentle and treats Ada with so much respect. As a person who has depression, Wes made me feel seen. So the depression rep in this book is strong. The way Wes and Ada relate to one another and share their problems is heart warming. I particularly love how Weston is able to calm Ada down when she's spiraling. Not to give too much away, but again the interplay between these characters is golden.

I particularly like Ada because she's not nicey-nice. She's a vulnerable person with a lot of, well, vulnerabilities. She comes from a bad marriage, where she was ghosted by her husband, so she's insecure. She drives a beat up old car and doesn't have a lot of money, she dropped out of college. All in all, she's flawed and her insecurities come out to play a lot in this book. She's also incredibly relatable.

Unlike the first book, where the romance isn't too rushed, this book has romance from nearly the first pages. The characters are drawn to one another from the beginning. So the pace, as far as the romance goes, starts out very fast and then slows down a bit, rather than the other way around.

Overall, this book had everything I enjoy in a romance novel. Put this one on your TBR!

Rating: 

❤❤❤❤❤ / 🌶️🌶️ - Really wonderful fun!

Author: Lyla Sage
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio, Paperback, Kindle
Kindle Unlimited: No
Series: Rebel Blue Ranch #1
Pages: 368 pages

Synopsis: {via GoodReads}

She’s off-limits, but he’s never been good at following the rules.

For the first time in her life, Clementine “Emmy” Ryder has no idea what she’s doing. She’s accomplished everything on her to-do list. She left her small hometown of Meadowlark, Wyoming; went to college; and made a career for herself by doing her favorite thing: riding horses. But after an accident makes it impossible for her to get back into the saddle, she has no choice but to return to the hometown she always wanted to escape.

Luke Brooks is Meadowlark’s most notorious bad boy, bar owner, and bachelor. He’s also the unofficial fifth member of the Ryder family. As Emmy’s older brother’s best friend, Luke spent most of his childhood antagonizing her. It’s been years since he’s seen her, but when she walks into his bar and back into his life, he can’t take his eyes off her. Despite his better judgment, he wants to do a whole lot more than just look at her.

Emmy’s got too much on her mind to think about romance. And Luke knows he should stay away from his best friend’s younger sister. But what if Luke is just what Emmy needs to get her spark back? Or will they both go up in flames?

Review: 

This book was such a great read! First, let me say I love the covers for this series. They're so nostalgic and fun. The colors and simplicity of the image is perfect, very comic book-esque. Just perfect for how fun this book was! If you're looking for a fun read for spring and you enjoy romances with a definite HEA, put this book on your TBR. 

🐎 Cowboys (and a Cowgirl!)

💖 Brothers Best Friend

🏡 Small Town Romance

💋 Enemies to Lovers

💚Found Family

🌹He Falls First

Lets talk about Emmy first. Emmy is fantastic, but not without her difficulties as any good character should be. She struggles with something she's loved her whole life after an accident that leaves her afraid to get back on the horse. She's just the right amount of vulnerable for the story and as a character with ADHD and sensory struggles, she's incredibly relatable. 

Luke is the all around charming reformed bad boy bar owner and he is hot, hot, hot! What I liked best about Luke is that he's not perfect, he comes from difficult circumstances, but he's made something of himself. He owns the bar in town, works on the Rebel Blue Ranch, and wears those backward baseball caps just right.

The plot moves along at a great pace and the romance between Luke and Emmy isn't rushed. There are some steamy scenes, so this one is definitely not closed door. As the story progresses, you feel for Emmy as she struggles to get back in the saddle and make decisions about her life. She can't do the thing she's been working toward her whole life and the reader really feels her struggle to figure out what that means for her, all while trying to figure out her relationship with Luke Brooks. 

I really enjoyed the ambiance of this story. The small town felt alive and I could really feel how this setting looked. I also enjoyed the way the relationship progresses in somewhat secret by Emmy's choice. It's not Luke keeping them a secret. Emmy gets to call the shots! Overall, this one was a great read and, since it's the first in a series, I'm really looking forward to jumping in and reading the rest. 

Rating:

❤❤❤❤❤ / 🌶️🌶️🌶️ - Really wonderful! Romance readers, put this one on your TBR!!