Surprisingly short and refreshingly easy to binge, I can absolutely see why this small town series has been such a hit. The friend group and community feel tie the series together in a meaningful way, and the softness of the romance made it a light and sexy read. Actually, all of my (minor) complaints about this could be solved with a longer length; it’s not often that I think a romance should be longer, but this love story only skimmed the surface of what it could be. I loved the black cat/golden retriever vibes and the puppy dog of a hero, who was smitten from the moment he met his girl. I loved the undercurrent of complexity to the characters, though that definitely could’ve been delved into deeper. And I could totally see myself getting wrapped up in the series if it had pushed just a little bit more. In the end, this ended up being a quick, easy read for me, but probably won’t be a super memorable one.
The story follows Wes and Ada, two strangers who feel an instant zap of connection. Wes has been living in his small town forever and he rarely feels attraction, but just one look at Ada has his tongue wagging. The two share one steamy kiss that leaves them both wanting more… until Ada discovers that Wes is the interior design client she’ll be working with for the next few months. She never would’ve kissed her new boss if she realized that’s who he was, and it changes the dynamic of their relationship immediately. Though Wes seems to be a sweetheart of a man, Ada is still finding herself after a rough divorce – and she has no plans to stay in town long-term. But as the two dance around their feelings and get to know each other for the first time, it’s impossible to ignore the attraction between them.
I’ve been meaning to check out Done and Dusted, but the tropes in this one are a better fit for me, so I decided to start here. And I’m glad that I did! It’s easy to see that the series is very interconnected, with messy backstories between a bunch of the characters. But Ada is new in town and she’s getting to know everyone, so it was actually a great introduction to the characters. I liked Ada just fine, but Wes steals the show here. He is such a big teddy bear and so totally smitten for his girl. I’m not always the biggest fan of instalove, but I don’t mind a boy obsessed or he falls first trope, and that’s what we’ve got here. The series is very tropey, actually. That’s also partially why I can’t rate it higher – at times, it felt like the plot was simply checking the expected boxes. There was so much potential for the characters to dig deeper (Ada’s divorce, Wes’ depression). Plenty of topics could’ve been explored further, and the book would’ve been better for it. There’s also a lot of time spent with the friend group, so it almost felt like the romance was shortchanged at times. At a slim 320 pages, this is significantly shorter than a lot of the romance out there these days. Another 50-100 pages would’ve done wonders. But when my biggest complaint about a book is that there isn’t enough of it, things are going pretty well. I enjoyed the soft and easygoing romance, and it made for a solid binge.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RMhTnd
Blurb:
She’s the city girl who refuses to be saddled with a man. He’s the cowboy who wants her anyway.
From the author of the BookTok sensation Done and Dusted comes the next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance featuring opposites attract and forced proximity.
“Tender, relatable, and brimming with delicious tension.”—USA Today bestselling author Elsie Silver
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?
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RMhTnd
Start the series today!
This will read as a standalone, but the friend group is pretty prominent and their backstories are very much woven together.
She’s off-limits, but he’s never been good at following the rules.
Discover the sizzling, small-town brother’s best friend romance that went viral on TikTok—now a special edition with an exclusive sneak peek at the next book in the series and a Q&A with the author!
“A sweet slow burn . . . sunshine in written form.”—USA Today bestselling author Lana Ferguson
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?
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4as1hIw
About the Author:
Lyla is a hopelessly romantic twenty-something that lives in the Wild West with her loyal companion–a sweet, old, blind rescue pitbull. She writes romance that feels like her favorite things: sunshine and big blue skies. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, usually about cowboys or hometown heroes, but she’s been known to dabble with mob bosses, monsters, and billionaires, too. You can usually find her under her heated blanket, at her favorite local bookstore, or in the mountains. To stay up to date on Lyla’s upcoming projects, connect with her on social media @authorlylasage, sign up for her newsletter, or go to www.lylasageauthor.com.
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